Touched
by MiraResQNU
Summary: Sequel to Afterthought. Story updated after a long absence! Arisawa escaped abduction in the human world, but can she handle her biggest obstacle yet? He's about yeh high, orange hair, brandishes a giant sword? And now he's appointed himself her official protector and *ahem* boyfriend. With her hearing with the Central 46 looming, not everyone is on her side... R&R, please!
1. Arrival

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Thus begins the long-awaited (I hope) sequel to Afterthought. Such a great response to that story! Thanks to everyone who took the time to read it and add it to their favorites or leave comments. Hopefully this one meets and exceeds expectations!

* * *

Chapter 1

_Immediately following the events of __**Afterthought**__- The Urahara Shoten…_

Rukia was troubled.

_So young, so fragile, so…_ _human_. The two teen boys currently huddled on the floor of Urahara's back room were the furthest thing from fighters she'd ever seen… and that was saying something.

Leaning stiffly against the opposite wall, the petite Shinigami eyed the two critically. Since her first encounters with Ichigo and his bizarrely gifted group of friends, she'd come to expect the unexpected. Ichigo himself had turned out to be stronger than she'd ever imagined. In an unbelievable coincidence one of the last heirs to the Quincy dynasty just happened to attend his high school. The quiet demeanor of Sado Yasutora belied the veritable rocket launcher contained in the boy's right arm. And Orihime's gifts…

Currently, the girl in question was fussing over the two newest arrivals- yet more 'classmates' by the looks of them- after using her abilities to heal the less frantic of the pair. Both gaunt and gangly, the first thing Rukia had noticed when Renji had stalked in with the two in tow was the unmistakable pallor of fear in each of their faces. The taller one had been an unintelligible mass of gesticulating screeches; the injured one had been shocked into a muted trance. At the recount of their harrowing rescue from Aizen's deadly Arrancar she'd marveled that they hadn't accidentally killed themselves in the process of escaping. Lacking any discernibly useful abilities or skills beyond a bit of pure dumb luck, their proximity to Ichigo had given them spirit awareness… and nothing else. And now they were Soul Society's problem.

Renji knew, she was sure. Seated on the floor next to her with his back pressed against the same wall, forearms resting on his knees, she could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he watched the group of teens with a detached sort of curiosity. Sado and Uryu had finally made their way over to the others; to Rukia's horror the animated chatter amongst the five reunited classmates had quickly redirected towards discussions of spirit energy, formerly secret powers and _homework assignments_.

She felt a headache coming on.

Renji's words from minutes earlier echoed again in her head, _'…so now there's _more_ reiatsu-wielding teenagers running around this city? Fuckin' fabulous! And Aizen's targeting them-'_

As much of an asset as Ichigo had presented with his unique abilities, his overabundance of raw power seemed to be indiscriminately _infecting_ those closest to him. The consequences of that were finally catching up to them- a wrench had been thrown in the form of a pair of unsuspecting and ill-prepared high school students.

Make that three…

It was no longer a mystery. In light of recent discoveries everyone now knew where Ichigo had gone: a third and final Arrancar had been sent for a third and final spiritually aware friend. Arisawa. Another well known classmate and comrade, even Renji seemed to register recognition at her mention. Spiky haired, blunt, with a bit of a temper- Rukia recalled an unusual attachment to Orihime, but little else. There had been suggestive eye rolling and hints at a violent streak… _perhaps_, Rukia thought, _this one might not be a total waste_. Now, if only a certain orange-haired pupil of hers would drag his tardy ass back to the Shoten-

No sooner had the thought entered her head then a loud ruckus erupted from the front of the store. All eyes veered to the door where a pair of familiar voices could be heard approaching from the other side. Suddenly the door swung open revealing the missing substitute Shinigami, arms full of a petite wriggling female.

Oblivious to the occupants of the room, Ichigo was still trying to wrangle the struggling girl, "-told you to hold _still_ until I got us inside! Jeez, Tatsuki!"

At first surprised by Ichigo's brashness with the girl, Rukia was downright shocked by Tatsuki's even more venomous tone as she attempted to push herself out of his cradling arms, "-And _I_ told _you_ to put me down! I'm not an invalid- I don't need to be carried around like some fucking damsel in distress!"

Finally winning her freedom, the girl not only landed deftly on socked feet but turned and emphasized her point by shoving him in the chest, "And I'm pretty sure I can find the _goddamn_ door! So lay off!"

For Rukia the bickering was hauntingly familiar- apparently she wasn't the only female Ichigo was willing to openly squabble with. It was odd seeing that infamous scowl directed at someone else for once, especially someone so…

Only then did Rukia really take in Tatsuki's utterly battered appearance. Smeared head to toe in dirt, the girl's skin was frighteningly pale except for some violent red marks encircling her neck that were already starting to darken. What little clothing she wore seemed as though someone had tried to tug it off of her body- dressed like a runner, Tatsuki's tank top was twisted across her torso and her tiny shorts had ridden up to the tops of her thighs. Grit had caked to the bloody scrapes running the lengths of her shins. And for some unknown reason she was missing shoes.

Ichigo seemed to have fared better without any visible injuries. Still, he seemed peppered in just as much dirt as Tatsuki. His black kimono hung open and askance while his hakama had several long tears in them, perhaps from the slice of a sword. However, neither of them seemed to register their disheveled states as their arguing continued, "Sue me for trying to make sure you're alright! That thing almost killed you! Why the hell can't you accept a little help?" Ichigo growled.

"Because I'm fine, damn it!" Tatsuki barked back. However, Ichigo's point was made when, after successfully pushing him away, Tatsuki swayed on her feet as her eyes squeezed shut, a sick look washing over her face. Ichigo was right there to catch her around the waist even as she cursed herself, falling against him. "Ah, shit…"

Only Rukia was close enough to hear Ichigo's soft yet frustrated whisper against the girl's hair, "Damn it, Tats- the hell's the matter with you? I thought we weren't supposed to make this weird… Who's acting like a nut job now?" Confused by his words, Rukia missed Tatsuki's unintelligible response as it was muttered into the crook of his neck- the scrappy fighter was twisting a fist into Ichigo's shirt in an attempt to regain her footing.

By this time everyone was up and converging on the pair, Renji surprisingly being the first to reach them. "Hey Ichigo, looks like you two went a couple of tough rounds- maybe you're little friend could use a seat," the redhead intoned meaningfully. Without really waiting for a response, the lieutenant lifted the girl away from a confused Ichigo and set her down against the nearest wall.

As his friends congregated around them Ichigo could only watch in numb silence, a mix of concern and weariness on his face as Renji did a quick field check on the girl. Barely tolerating the intrusion, Tatsuki watched his hands warily even as she continued mumbling about how she was fine and to leave her the hell alone. Questions started floating around as the rest of the group took in the pair's appearance,

"Are you two alright?" Sado asked Ichigo even as his eyes scanned Tatsuki on the floor.

Ishida offered, "Renji and I defeated a couple of Arrancar sent after Asano and Kojima. Did you encounter something similar?"

Ichigo nodded distractedly, "Yeah… This one said Aizen had sent him after her- Tatsuki was specifically targeted. I don't get it."

Meanwhile Keigo and Mizuiro had squeezed to the front to kneel beside their friend, "Um… Tatsuki, are you okay?"

The girl blinked, taking in the two, "Mizuiro? Keigo? What're you guys doing here?"

Keigo seemed to bubble to life, "Hey Tatsuki, did a giant scary dude come after you, too? You should have seen the ones that came after Mizuiro and me! They were totally sick!" A dark look clouded the girl's features as the two boys prattled on, "Man, those guys were huge! Ishida and the Lieutenant saved us-"

"-Not before I was thrown into a building, though-"

"-Oh yeah, Mizuiro! Man, you're leg was _totally_ thrashed!-"

"-But Orihime fixed it. It was _amazing_! Like it was never broken. Wanna see?-"

"Hey Tatsuki, where are your shoes? I thought you were going running again tonight?"

"-Are those scratches on your stomach? What happened to your neck?-"

"-Wow, are those claw marks? They look painful. Maybe Orihime can fix you, too?-"

Upon mention of the stomach wounds, the lieutenant wasted no time in pushing Tatsuki's shielding forearms out of the way to begin lifting the hem of her top for closer inspection- ****_POW!**_**

Renji grabbed his stinging jaw, "OW! What the-?"

"BACK OFF! What the hell's the matter with you?" Tatsuki screeched, tugging down her shirt with the hand she _didn't_ punch Renji with- that one was still balled in a tight fist at the ready. The two boys wisely scooted back in retreat.

Reigning in his anger over the unexpected decking, Renji calmly raised his hands, "Look, I get you're upset- you've been through a lot. But you have wounds that need medical attention-"

"And I told you I'm _fine_! Is everybody deaf?" At that moment she looked up at all of the shocked faces hovering over her. Their pity and confusion were reflected as raw anger and helplessness in her pained features. From the corner of her eye she saw Renji leaning toward her again. Her reflexive recoil propelled her further down and against the wall as she screamed, "I SAID DON'T _TOUCH_ ME!"

The entire room fell silent. Renji blinked, raised an eyebrow, and then slowly leaned back. Tatsuki closed shining eyes, the heat of embarrassment already beginning to rise in her cheeks. She drew up her knees and hugged them to her chest. "Please… just leave me alone," she muttered.

_Oh yeah, she's just peachy_, Rukia lamented. Even without knowing the details, repercussions of such an undoubtedly violent abduction weren't so easily shaken off, despite the young girl's best efforts. _Shattered innocence. But what do you expect when you mix naïve children with the real-life monsters from their nightmares?_ Aizen's foray into the physical world seemed to be claiming more and more victims.

"Ttt-Tats-chan?"

Tatsuki's shoulders visibly stiffened at the soft sound. After inhaling a long deep breath, the girl lifted her head just enough to peek over the tops of her knees as her dearest friend sank to the floor in front of her. Orihime was holding a glass.

"I thought… Tats-chan might want… some water to drink…" Orihime whispered. Then she slowly presented the offering, eyes large and searching.

Tilting her head, Tatsuki just stared at the girl for a moment. Then she sighed. "Orihime…" A corner of her mouth twitched upward as she accepted the glass, "…thanks. Water… sounds good." The orange-haired girl warmed into an impish grin as Tatsuki lowered her knees, folding them Indian-style beneath her. Then she chugged the water, upending and draining the whole thing.

Even after setting the glass down against her leg Tatsuki stayed like that for bit, eyes closed, head back to catch her breath. When she finally opened her eyes and leveled them on Orihime's expectant face, she murmured, "Thank you, Orihime."

That was all it took before she had a lap-full of sobbing friend as Orihime threw herself at the girl, hugging her far too tightly around the middle, "Oh Tatsuki! I'm so, so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?"

At first surprised by her reaction, Tatsuki soon closed arms around Orihime, water glass and all as she shook her head, "Hime, you don't have to-"

But the girl suddenly popped up, face pouting as she vehemently nodded, "No, I do, Tatsuki! I wasn't supposed to say anything, even to _you_! And you're my best friend! But I _wanted_ to- I wanted to tell you everything! But I didn't and now you were almost taken-"

"-Sssshh, 'Hime. Please don't let me be the reason you're crying," Tatsuki sighed as she used her free hand to wipe away a stray tear from her friend's cheek. "I knew you had your secrets. I guess I just got a little impatient waiting for an explanation…"

"A little _impatient_?" Keigo scoffed, earning a scathing look from the little fighter from over Orihime's head.

An eerie voice sounded from the opposite end of the room, "Your friends were just trying to protect you, Arisawa-chan."

* * *

Urahara Kisuke smiled to himself as all eyes turned at the sound of his voice; he never seemed to tire of startling the young people. However, his intentions were well-placed- once Ichigo had taken off he'd sensed the significance of the Arrancar's arrival in the physical world and had gotten straight to work. Noting everyone's presence, it was time to put his hastily prepared plans into action.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes before shooting the man a bored expression, "Are we gonna do this again, old man?"

The eerie shop owner smiled from behind his fan, noting the disheveled appearances of the two newest arrivals. Thankfully, everyone had made it in one piece, more or less. He shook his head, "No, my dear. I'm afraid we haven't the time to rehash such matters. You all need to be getting on your way soon."

"On our way? Where are we going?" Keigo asked. The whole room appeared utterly confused.

"You're going to the one place where Aizen and his minions will be the least likely to find you." Urahara replied.

Rukia's eyes widened, "You don't mean…" She shook her head, "But they can't! They don't have permission!"

"Actually…" the mysterious man drawled, producing a piece of rolled parchment in his other hand, "… they do. I've been quite busy since learning of the latest Arrancar threat. It's a Temporary Order of Asylum, the details of which will be clarified within a forty eight hour time period… by the escorting Shinigami, of course."

From his spot on the floor, Renji began chuckling, his smile split wide with mirth, "Hehehe, oh man! You really are trying to get us killed, Kisuke."

Keigo huffed in frustration, "I don't get it. Where are we going?" Mizuiro just shrugged in response.

Uryu palmed his chin thoughtfully, "Urahara, are you sure this is wise? Surely there are other options."

The signature fan fluttered. "Normally I'd be open to suggestions. However, I'm afraid we haven't the time. Due to the impending threats to our human companions, immediate action was necessary. It's the best I could come up with on such short notice. You all should be departing for Soul Society right away."

"Soul Society? You're sending them _there_?" Ichigo scoffed.

However, Orihime had caught another detail, "All? As in 'everyone' is going?"

"Everyone in this room, save myself. My voluntary exile still stands, of course, despite the circumstances," Urahara clarified. "I'm sure you understand. But don't fret- Yoruichi has agreed to escort you in my place. You'll be in very good hands… er, paws. Haha!"

Excited chatter rose around the room as the seasoned travelers attempted to fill in the inquisitive newcomers. However, Urahara noted the conspicuous silence of one member, lips tight as wary eyes watched the others, "Everything alright, Arisawa-san?"

His stealthy yet sudden appearance next to the girl startled her, but Tatsuki recovered her emotionless mask quickly as she glanced up at him. "Great. Awesome. Magical field trip." Then she brushed a hand through her dirty hair, "I've got time to run home and shower first, right?"

"Um, no," the shop keeper stated.

Her face fell. "Then is there a shower here I can use?"

Urahara noted Ichigo (who'd coincidentally never ventured more than a few steps from the girl) take sudden interest in the conversation. "Afraid there just isn't time," the older man contritely apologized.

Tatsuki frowned, "Well, what _do_ I have time for?"

He concealed his smile behind his fan, "Ururu can offer you a wet paper towel as you all make your way to the training room!" He turned his back to her as the others in the room immediately began moving. His hidden smile deepened as he felt Arisawa rise and lunge, only to be bodily restrained by a quick-acting Ichigo. Over his shoulder he added, "Feel free to take it with you."

"I think I hate him," She muttered.

Ichigo nodded, "He has that effect on people. Try not to let it get to you."

As the rest of the group filed out, Ichigo noticed how Kisuke paused, blatantly eyeing head to foot the girl whom he still had a fairly firm grip on. He felt Tatsuki's body stiffen and knew she must have noticed it, too. "What?" she barked. Ichigo only braced himself.

Kisuke shook his head. "Also, please have Kurosaki lend you one of his extra shirts from the storeroom- can't have a young lady parading around Soul Society in her underwear!"

"WHAT? These are _running clothes_, you twisted son-of-a-!" The shop keeper chuckled as he disappeared through the door, leaving Ichigo to once again wrangle a raging, sputtering best friend.

…Sometimes Kisuke just couldn't help himself.

* * *

A/N: And here we go! You didn't think everything was going to be rainbows and kittens following 'Afterthought' did you? Thanks to all who favorited that story- it seems there are more IchiTats fans out there than I had originally thought. Or maybe you just like my writing? After reading this first chapter you've probably noticed that unlike the oneshots, reading 'Afterthought' first is kind of necessary to understand what's going on. So if you haven't already, hop on over and give it a look.

In any case, this one promises to push our characters a little bit further out of their comfort zones. Hope you've enjoyed this first installment and that you'll stay tuned for the next chapter, due out soon!

Mira ^_^


	2. Passage

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Thank you to those of you who left reviews for the first chapter- so awesome! Wonderful reviews are the best motivation to get on the computer and write. It also looks like some are re-reading 'Afterthought' too; glad people are still enjoying the original. Been busy working on this update so I hope you like it. I have most of this store mapped out in my head, but getting it in print is proving to be challenging. Hope you don't mind but I want to take my time with this story since it's going to be longer and more involved than 'Afterthought'. So let's see how the second chapter goes!

* * *

Chapter 2: Passage

_That night, under the Shoten…_

'_Here we go again…'_ Ichigo thought to himself.

The entire group had gathered quickly in the massive training space under the Shoten in preparation for an immediate departure to the Spirit World. Ichigo and Tatsuki had paused just long enough for her to tug something over her admittedly abbreviated outfit- a black zip-up hoodie that he'd left at the shop a few weeks ago. Effectively covering her top half, Ichigo couldn't help but notice the inordinate amount of leg left exposed; unfortunately Jinta refused to lend the girl a pair of his pants (likely resenting the fact that they'd probably fit _a girl_ to a tee). The youngster did begrudgingly hand over a pair of worn-out sneakers- Tatsuki at least had something on her feet. The two teens were as clean as a thirty second scrub-down with a damp paper towel would allow.

Everyone congregated around the spot where Urahara would open the portal; anyone who could have left behind a gigai or body had done so. And Yoruichi had joined them. Oddly enough, Ichigo found that Tatsuki wasn't as weirded out by a _talking cat_ as he figured she should have been. Pretty much par for the course where this group was concerned. The portal, it seemed, was another story.

He watched her closely from the corner of his eye as everyone moved into position. Once the air parted into blackness and wind began rushing into the vacant hole he noted the telltale stiffening of her limbs as the corner of her lower lip slipped between her small teeth. It was a nervous habit that he recognized only from years of reading the slightest of her subconscious gestures- she'd already done it a few times earlier tonight. Despite the firm stance of her feet, he could sense her trepidation.

Amidst the turbulent noise from the portal Urahara gestured to the orifice like a side-show barker, "Step right up for transport to the Spirit World! Stay close together- I recommend holding hands for you new-comers! And be careful, the ride may get pretty bumpy along the way!"

Orihime quickly snagged her best friend's right hand as the first few travelers passed through the gate- Kiego under distinct protest alongside Chad and Renji. Ichigo watched Rukia turn around to look for him, an inquisitive eyebrow raised as he intentionally hung back. Then her gaze slid to Tatsuki and softened; with a slight nod she turned forward and took Mizuiro's hand, guiding him forward.

Somewhat confused, Ichigo instead turned his attention back to Tatsuki, who was blinking rapidly against the rushing air of the portal. As he watched her continue to worry her bottom lip, something in the back of his brain compelled his arm to reach for her- before he knew it his fingers were slipping into her palm. Startled, she stared up at him but he firmed his grip and stepped in closer. Dropping his head down to her ear to be heard over the din, he asked, "You ready for this?"

She'd already turned her face toward his, her eyes sliding shut in the shadow of his taller form. Her lips were slightly parted, almost as if she were expecting him to…

"Come on, slowpokes! It's now or never!" Kisuke shouted.

In a blink it had passed. Her eyes were open and guarded, her mouth tight until she answered him, "Let's go." Ichigo could only nod numbly as Orihime pulled them all to the gate's threshold.

Ichigo turned back to glare at Urahara only to see the shopkeeper waving animatedly at the last of the travelers,

"Bon Voyaaaaaage!"

* * *

With a single wary step forward Tatsuki was sent hurtling- careening towards a bright flashing oblivion at a speed bordering on insanity. Pulled from nearly every direction, she felt forces tugging not only against her limbs- against her very skin- but on something deeper, as if some invisible entity had wrapped an icy claw around her hammering heart and was trying to rip it out through her spine. Matter dissolved and energy shifted, morphing the physical into something else-something thinner and less tangible. And it _hurt_. Between the dizzying lights, the energy whipping through her body and the growing pain, her nausea rose until she was very near to vomiting-

-when suddenly everything stopped. Firm, grass-covered ground was beneath her feet, clear night sky above her head. The moon caught her eye- instead of the slim glowing crescent she'd seen earlier that night a round, nearly-full complement hung in its place. It was like looking into one mirror at the reflection from another- she wondered just what sort of journey could have put them in such a place. In any case, warm bodies were shoulder to shoulder with her and thankfully the world was no longer spinning.

"Right, check around then; let's make sure everyone made it." The cat was talking again. Tatsuki fought hard to conceal how utterly bizarre she found it to hear _that _voice coming from such a tiny, four-legged creature, especially when it barked orders with such authority. Something about the feline's curt tone warned her that crossing the diminutive animal might be a more dangerous prospect than she realized.

Glancing around as directed, the young fighter began counting heads. Sure enough, Ishida and Rukia had a queasy-looking Mizuiro sandwiched between them while Chad and that annoying Shinigami with the tattoos tried to wrestle down a wildly screeching Keigo just beyond. Bodies on either side of her brought her attention to the last two members of their party-

"T-T-Tatsuki? Um. My f-f-fingers..." gasped the soft-spoken voice on her right. Tatsuki looked over at Orihime, then down to their joined hands which she realized she'd been squeezing with all her might since they'd 'traveled' from the tiny shop.

"Oh! Sorry 'Hime…" she rasped quietly. She snatched her hand away as if Orihime's palm had caught fire, but the girl only smiled goofily as she massaged her aching appendage against her hefty bosom.

That's when Tatsuki noticed the strong grip of her other hand and whipped her head to her left, wincing audibly. Ichigo was staring down at her, concern etched in his tight features. He'd been holding her hand the whole time, his grip almost as strong as hers. She knew she hadn't hurt him, _couldn't_ hurt him. Still she relaxed her grip in his, embarrassed. His lingered- he didn't seem to want to let go…

"You ok?" Ichigo asked her, his voice low yet firm. His tone seemed to imply more questions than such simple words could express. His gaze felt so haunting that Tatsuki finally averted her eyes.

"Fine," she murmured, slowly pulling her hand from his. Something about the loss of contact made her fingers tingle at the tips; she grazed her thumb over them absently just to ensure they were still there.

"Everyone accounted for? Good. Let's get going; I believe they're expecting us," Yoruichi commanded, taking the lead of the party. Keigo had finally passed out from either exhaustion or hysteria (she wasn't sure which and with Keigo it didn't much matter); Chad had obliged to shoulder the boy's now-limp body like a sack of potatoes. Mizuiro, apparently gaining his bearings, still looked as pale as a cloud. The whole group slowly started moving behind the sleek feline as it led the way.

A chill rippled through Tatsuki and she shivered down to her bones. She couldn't quite figure the reason- the fresh air around them seemed warm and there was no breeze. She absolutely refused to consider any other factors, firmly pushing the night's prior events far from her mind. Despite their presence in the Spirit World, she wasn't dead- dwelling on how close she'd come was pointless. That's what she kept repeating to herself as they made their way towards the dim lights of the nearby city.

* * *

…_later, in Rukongai…_

She couldn't quite fathom why that crazy shop-owner- with all of his crafty powers and seemingly infinite wisdom of the spiritual realm- couldn't have transported them into this 'Soul Society' place a little closer to their destination. The entire group of them- classmates, Soul Reapers and feline guide- had been trudging silently through run-down streets in what Tatsuki could only describe as a purposeful 'wander'. She saw no sign of this 'Seireitei' place they were supposedly heading to, only bunches of run-down dwellings piled on top of one another in what she imagined must be a shadier part of town. Of course, she was near the back of the pack.

And despite her best efforts, Tatsuki was slowing down. Walking was becoming difficult. Her head was swimming. With great effort she held up her hands, examining them. Her physical body was supposed to have changed upon passage through the portal- it was why the Shinigami needed gigai and why Ichigo left his body when fighting in Spirit Form. Perhaps there was a delayed effect- some sort of short term conversion fatigue that could reduce a well-conditioned fighter to a sluggish neophyte. She couldn't work out any other reason why it felt as though her energy was somehow being steadily bled away, as though it was evaporating off of her like vapor into the night air. She was _fading_…

Her feet stumbled. Then a small hand wrapped in hers, warming her skin. The warmth seeped into her veins, waking her body. It was like breaking a trance- she suddenly remembered where they were. The hand was Orihime's, closing around hers and gently tugging her forward to catch up to the rest. "We're almost there, Tats-chan. Are you okay? You don't look so good…"

"It's okay, Orihime," she rasped. Her neck still hurt and with an involuntary shudder she recalled the sensation of enormous claws clamped firmly around her throat. Tatsuki continued reassuringly, "I think I just need to adjust to being in this different world is all." Voice still hoarse and muffled, she watched worry cloud the pretty girl's face. But eventually Orihime nodded. Hand in hand, they slowly caught up to the others.

* * *

Tatsuki was unsure of how much longer they walked, but through the rest of the trip she seemed to have shaken off the fatigue that had plagued her earlier. Still hand-in-hand with Orihime, she found it cute how her friend kept swinging their joined arms as she swayed her head- Tatsuki found it reminiscent of a child about to break out into a skip. Except the farther they progressed the more frequently Orihime seemed to let out these huge, face-scrunching yawns.

"Tired?" she inquired of her friend.

Mid-yawn, Orihime vigorously nodded. "Mmhm! Not sure why, though. I took a nap in 5th period World Studies," the girl shrugged. "Must be all the excitement. And the walking."

"And the arm swinging?" Tatsuki smirked, earning a blush from her friend.

"Oh, sorry! Habit, I guess," and Orihime finally releasing their joined hands. Warm and clammy from the prolonged grip, Tatsuki noticed once again how the loss of contact felt odder than it should have- like she'd just been unplugged or detached from something vital. It created an odd sense of isolation that was both unsettling and absurd.

Attempting to shake it off, she nearly bumped into Chad who'd halted right in front of them. Trying to peer around him, she was reminded of how gigantic the guy was.

"Alright, we're here," Yoruichi announced. Looking up they all took in the sight of a large inn tucked rather conspicuously between the shanties surrounding it. Two towering cylinders topped with giant fists rose from either side of it.

"Well this ain't Seireitei," Renji said, rubbing a finger under his nose.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Lieutenant," the cat scathingly replied. "Due to our hasty departure, admission into Seireitei for our living companions has not yet been granted. This is our stop-over until such matters are settled. But don't worry- some familiar faces should be awaiting our arrival…"

This seemed true enough, for shortly after they halted two giant men dwarfing Chad's height walked out onto the building's porch to greet the travelers. Identical from their massive biceps down to their matching robes and hakama, Tatsuki found them to be the oddest-looking pair of twins she'd ever seen.

However, a good number of her friends recognized the pair. Orihime began an excited bounce, "Ooh! Koganehiko-san and Shiroganehiko-san! That must mean we're-"

"Come in, young travelers," the one on the left stated as they both bowed, gesturing towards the massive front doors. "The butterfly carrying news of your journey only just arrived," without missing a beat the one on the right finished the sentence, "…but our mistress has endeavored to provide adequate accommodations. Please, everyone, step inside."

The interior of the inn proved to be simple yet cozy, and the party was again greeted by an odd-looking character. The spot behind the front desk was occupied by a rough-looking man with a bandana on his head and a knowing smirk on his face. Tattered and a bit dirty, he looked far from any typical desk clerk.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in…" the man drawled as the group filed into the lobby.

Tatsuki's eyes widened in disbelief- every person she'd met so far seemed to revere and even fear the dark and mysterious feline known as Yoruichi…

Up until that point Tatsuki could safely say she'd never seen a cat raise an eyebrow. She wasn't aware cats had eyebrows, actually, but why put anything past one that could talk? The man's comment, however, seemed directed not at Yoruichi but at the others.

"Oh, Ganju! I knew it!" exclaimed Orihime excitedly, oblivious to the golden stare directed at their host. Other murmurs of recognition buzzed through the group.

"Welcome to Shiba Inn, everyone! Glad you all made it!" he replied jovially.

Tatsuki watched the dark feline jump deftly up onto the counter where he sat directly in front of the man and formally addressed him, "Ganju Shiba, is your sister here? I have matters to discuss with her."

The gruff man shook his head, "Sorry, Yoruichi-san. But she's actually out handling that other thing for Urahara-san," Ganju replied. "But she told me to get you guys some rooms- easier to accommodate everyone since we got the inn. Especially since there are a lot more this time, eh?"

The cat sighed with obvious disappointment, "Very well. I shall hopefully meet with her in the morning."

Ganju offered, "You'll have a bit more company than that soon enough- I sent a message asking Hanataro to come by in case you had wounded. He'll be here once he's finished his work for the night."

Ichigo finally spoke up, "Hey that's good, he can look at Tatsuki- we left in such a hurry that we never got a chance to get her injuries treated."

Tatsuki felt all eyes settle on her again as she was nudged forward. She frowned silently as the bandana guy gave her a quick once over before nodding. "No problem, I'll send him up to her room when he gets here."

The mention of a room along with the unspoken promise of a bed had Tatsuki ignoring the scrutiny to instead take note of her current fatigue. She felt as though she was wilting again- at the moment sleep was an attractive prospect. Maybe she'd get her strength back after a much-needed rest.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Ganju!" Orihime piped in, "I can take care of Tatsuki right away!"

The petite fighter tried to swallow her groan. Another obstacle to her slumber. However, she quickly perked up at the thought of seeing her friend's power first hand.

Ganju merely shrugged, "Works for me. But he'll be here if ya need him." Then he said the words Tatsuki had been waiting to hear since they'd arrived in front of the inn, "So who wants to call it a night?"

* * *

_In the girls' room…_

Orihime concentrated as the shield of the Shun Shun Rikka hovered over Tatsuki's supine form on the bed roll. After they'd been given a room to share with Rukia, she'd set right to work on healing her injured best friend. The boys had been split into a couple of rooms down the hall- the young healer was glad they weren't underfoot to hamper her work. Despite Tatsuki's intense curiosity at the beginning of the ritual, the exhausted girl had easily drifted off to sleep as the Sōten Kisshun commenced.

Orihime had been quite surprised once she'd gotten a closer look at her friend's injuries. While neither Tatsuki nor Ichigo had shared the details of her attempted abduction, it was easy for Orihime to see that the attacking Arrancar had gotten a piece of the girl. The neck wounds were the most troubling- the puncture marks and depth of bruising alluded to severe soft-tissue injury beneath the skin. Despite Tatsuki's repeated hasty dismissals of her wounds that night the girl guessed her friend had been suffering in silence.

'_It's not fair. Not Tatsuki, too.'_

To Orihime, it was bad enough that Aizen had overtaken her own life. After kidnapping her and threatening her soul, her safety and her sanity, after twisting and perverting her spiritual gifts into tools for his own malicious plans, and after nearly taking the lives of the dear friends who had fought to save her… No. She couldn't stand the idea of him harming even one more person, especially someone so dear as her best friend.

Despite Orihime's successful rescue from Hueco Mundo, Aizen still had a firm hold on the girl. His voice occupied her thoughts; his face haunted her dreams. Even the most mundane of tasks had been distorted by her experiences as a prisoner. She hadn't thought that any part of her existence was left that hadn't somehow been corrupted by the heartless man…

…Except for her human existence- the living world and her friends in it, her school, her home. Tatsuki was the quintessence of her living world, the best of everything in it. Orihime knew her friend was frustrated at all of them for disappearing without explanation, but she could live with that. Because she at least thought that Tatsuki had been safe.

'_Not anymore…'_

Tatsuki was no longer safe. In fact, Tatsuki was now a target. And for Orihime it was another raw violation because- despite all evidence to the contrary- she couldn't help but think that maybe, _just maybe,_ it was somehow all her fault.

'_Oh Tatsuki… all I ever wanted was to be for you the amazing friend you've been for me! I never wanted this for you, to be dragged into all of this horribleness…'_

Orihime's bronzy-orange locks reached all the way to her lower back… and that was because of Tatsuki. At a time when she'd most needed strength her friend had been there to give it to her. On that fateful day in their schoolyard when the slim tomboy had fearlessly faced unwinnable odds, her inspiration pushed Orihime to find the inner power she'd never known she possessed… that was the day the Shun Shun Rikka had emerged. Orihime had discovered her own power to protect.

'_I'll protect you again, Tatsuki. I know I can do it.'_

Their power- _her power_- would shield her young friend from any danger that might threaten!

Of course, she wasn't exactly alone in that endeavor; Tatsuki's 'Personal Protection Detail' already had one clearly conspicuous member… and Ichigo Kurosaki had a huge head start.

It made sense when she thought about it. One of the things Orihime admired the most about Ichigo was his unwavering loyalty to and defense of those he cared about. It made him a natural as a Shinigami, an honorable brother and son, and a reliable friend. And Tatsuki, well, she was his first after all. The scrappy fighter predated all the spirits and powers and craziness that had fallen into all of their laps. Orihime figured that, for Kurosaki, protecting her was probably like protecting a part of his childhood. In that regard, the healer could definitely relate.

What she was having trouble relating to, however, was the odd shift between her two friends. Over time, Orihime had gotten used to the strange fraternal dynamic between Tatsuki and Ichigo. Typically light and good-humored, at times comically abusive- there was always a certain simple ease in their relationship that the redhead secretly envied. Regardless of the topic or situation, there was always an undeniable sense of deep history hovering between the two that left Orihime wondering what they must have been like together when they were children.

However, from the first moment the two had burst into the Shoten, entangled and barking at each other, Orihime had sensed an unusual turn. It wasn't so much the bickering- that sort of thing was an everyday, even expected occurrence with those two. No, it was the distance- both physical and not- that Orihime had picked up on. Unable to disguise her wounds, Tatsuki had reacted like a porcupine with her quills up; despite his best efforts, Ichigo had ended up with a face full of barbs. He'd spent the entire night trying to have in-depth conversations with his eyes with the tight-lipped tomboy, only to have Tatsuki shut him and everyone else out at every turn. The girl was guarded and aloof, and Orihime worried that even after the physical scars were healed, Tatsuki might not let anyone get close enough to help with the emotional ones… not even her best friends…

The glowing energy field above Tatsuki pulsed drawing Orihime's attention back to the Sōten Kisshun. Only now did it occur to her that the ritual was taking much, much longer than usual. A visual inspection of the now sleeping subject showed no outward signs of her earlier injuries. Orihime sighed with relief just as the field dissipated. The two tiny fairies appeared before her- the redhead couldn't help but notice that they both appeared wilted and exhausted.

"Shun'o? Ayame? Are you guys okay? Didn't the rejection work for Tatsuki?"

Shun'o replied, "Our work is done, Mistress. However, certainly you noticed that it took us quite a bit more time to complete our task."

Orihime nodded at the little flower sprites, "I did. Was something the matter with Tats-chan's injuries?"

Ayame shook her head, "We aren't certain, Mistress, but something wasn't quite right with the energy surrounding her. We had trouble aligning our rejecting powers with her wounds- it was almost as if her spirit was drawing the energy for more than just her injuries."

This only puzzled the teen, "But Ayame, what does that mean? Why would that even happen?"

Shun'o tried to answer, "Mistress, we do not know. We've never encountered such an issue with the Sōten Kisshun before. Nothing like this has happened the previous times we have healed this girl. All we know is in the end we depleted more than triple the amount of energy typically required. You may feel the effects once we depart. We apologize, Mistress Orihime. But something just isn't quite right."

After a quiet contemplative moment, Orihime shook herself back, "Alright then. Thank you both for your help. I'm just grateful you were able to fix Tats-chan. Everything else can be sorted out in the morning."

"Of course, Mistress," and with a wink of light the two tiny fairies vanished into the girl's hairpins. The room seemed quite dark and silent now. Once more Orihime glanced down at her resting friend- she thought it was the most peaceful that Tatsuki had appeared all night.

'_Everything will be fine in the morning…'_

As if in answer to the unspoken words, Tatsuki suddenly let out an audible weary sigh. "Hey, 'Hime?" the girl quietly muttered, never opening her eyes.

Startled, Orihime tried to steady her voice before answering, "Yes, Tatsuki?"

"Thanks… for this." Then the girl finally seemed to drift off for good.

"You're welcome," the healer replied in a whisper. _'Tatsuki, I promise I'll do whatever it takes to keep that monster Aizen and his minions away from you.'_

…Little did the girl know that, for the moment, Aizen was the least of her best friend's troubles.

* * *

A/N: Already working on the next chapter! Oh, I'm very excited for the developments I have planned coming up! Reviews are coveted and cherished like little rays of sunshine, so please don't forget to click the button. :)


	3. Reflections

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Pulled together another chapter for your reading pleasure. I apologize for the tardiness of this chapter- it was supposed to be out _weeks_ ago, however my laptop met with an unfortunate accident and had to be sent out for a new screen and was gone for 18 days. Yes, that's 18 DAYS without a computer, email or the internet! It was torture, truly. Got him back yesterday and celebrated by wrapping up this chapter! Then of course an admin error kept me from publishing for a few days (folks who've recently hit up the profile might have seen that one). But we're here and we're all good now! ^_^

Thanks to those (few) of you who reviewed- lots of 'favorites' and 'alerts' but not much feedback for some reason. I'll admit it's nice to get feedback, whether positive or negative, to know how the story is being received. However I don't believe in holding a story hostage for reviews- I think it cheapens the material and creates bad blood between author and audience. So I'm gonna press on in hopes that folks are still along for the ride.

Parts of this chapter (along with some of those preceding) will refer all the way back to events in 'Afterthought' so hopefully you guys still remember that story ;)

* * *

Chapter 3: Reflections

_2am, Shiba Inn…_

Ichigo couldn't sleep.

The bed roll was comfortable and the room was quiet- his 'roommates,' Uryu and Mizuiro, had drifted off in silent slumber in their own beds hours ago.

Lying in the darkness, Ichigo's keen vision still allowed him to sharpen his eyes, bringing the texture of the inn's freshly-painted ceiling into and out of focus. It was a meditation exercise he'd taught himself to use when sleep was hampered by a runaway brain. Except tonight it wasn't working. Despite every effort, he just couldn't stop the night's events from replaying in his head.

The mid-air battle with the Arrancar had been tough- _and that was the problem_. After battling Gotei 13 Captains and the highest ranking of Aizen's Espada, the substitute Shinigami was vexed by how much trouble a single member of the _fraccion_ had given him.

'_Hell, maybe there's something wrong with my power…'_ Yet his own speed and strength had seemed the same. Other than an aggressive and varied technique, his opponent hadn't offered any new or surprising tricks to throw him off. In the end the monster hadn't even really injured him.

'_Was it my hollow?'_ Ichigo had initially tried to fight this battle without his darker side but in hindsight wasn't really sure why. Perhaps because he knew he shouldn't have needed it. And perhaps deep down he always worried that next time he wouldn't be able to control it. So why risk it on such a simple adversary? And why risk it with Tatsuki so close?

'_Was it Tatsuki?'_

His mind seemed to be stubbornly returning to her tonight. Perhaps her presence had made the difference, distracted him, pulled his attention away from the things that should have won him the fight much sooner. Except that he'd fought opponents with hostages before without any problem. So why would _she_ matter?

And then it flashed in his vision- the sight of her dangling, lifeless body in that beast's unforgiving clutches. She'd looked dead… _again… _and nothing after that moment could erase that image from his mind.

Tatsuki. All of a sudden Tatsuki, back in the thick of it, just like old times…

…yeah, right! After leaving her and the boys in the school's hallway visibly frustrated but nevertheless safe, the last thing Ichigo expected to find when confronting some random Hueco Mundo flunky was the snarky little tomboy strangled and unconscious in the midst of an attempted abduction! It was the sort of wild, worse-case-scenario he'd been trying to avoid ever since first becoming a Soul Reaper.

Even as he noticed friend after friend slowly falling into the mix, he'd thought he'd done a halfway decent job of keeping her out of everything. Of all of his closest friends, he realized he'd pushed her away the farthest. Only now- seeing Tatsuki at her most vulnerable- did he realize why.

Tatsuki was _different_- different in ways that defied direct explanation. She was more than just a classmate or a sparring partner. She was more than just a friend- he'd known her for most of his life, they'd been best friends since they were kids. He knew her better than anybody else; up until his whole Substitute Soul Reaper debacle he figured she could have said the same thing about him. Tats was more like family. She might as well have been his own flesh and blood, like the twins except with less whining and more hormones and ass-kicking.

Her involvement somehow made the whole thing personal. Once he'd recognized her, everything had seemed to instantly spiral out of control- because suddenly it had been _Tatsuki_ dangling unconscious. _Tatsuki_ in a horrifying freefall. Tatsuki watching him with frightened, sorrowful eyes as she helplessly plummeted... Just her presence had changed everything, and his opponent seemed to have somehow sensed it. The monster had toyed with her to get a rise out of his Shinigami opponent, and it had worked more than he'd realized.

Deep down, Ichigo knew it had affected his hollow, too. He hadn't needed his mask- the transformation had been instantaneous and unlike any time before. He'd felt it come on- felt it course through his body like a crashing wave of raw power- and had welcomed the bloodlust. His hollow wanted to make that Arrancar suffer for hurting her, for putting his disgusting hands on her. His inner darkness had relished slicing the monster in half. He'd felt the part of him that would have preferred to kill it with his bare hands, to rip it apart if he'd had the time to relish the death. He hadn't had the time- he knew it was his hollow that had allowed him to reach Tatsuki before she'd hit the ground.

More untapped power. The shear will to save her had unleashed a new part of his dark half. Power over his hollow and power over his guilty conscience. After weeks of misdirecting and avoidance, just a few moments beneath Tatsuki's vulnerable, accusatory glare had been enough to crack him. He just couldn't lie to her anymore, not when she'd figured out so much on her own. And that had been _before_ she'd kissed him…

He fought to keep the corners of his mouth from stretching up to his cheekbones at the memory…

_She smirked up at him until her gaze grew hazy, landing somewhere in the vicinity of his mouth. He didn't dare move as an odd wave of prickly sensations washed over him, catching his breath. He watched silently as Tatsuki's features grew pensive, as though she was puzzling something out in her mind. Finally, he heard her mutter something like 'Ah, hell…' right before she reached a hand up, ploughed fingers through the hair at his nape and tugged his head down until her lips caught his._

_At first tentative in her contact, Ichigo was nevertheless instantly overwhelmed by the cool softness of Tatsuki's mouth as she kissed him. However, never one to do anything halfway, the young woman wasted no time in exerting a delicious pressure and movement against Ichigo's lips that had him swaying on his feet a little. His eyelids drifted closed as he instinctively tightened his grip on her. The closer contact coaxed a husky little moan from the back of Tatsuki's throat that vibrated against his tongue and shot straight to the pit of his stomach. He could feel their energy mingling, making his entire body tingle as though it were awash in electric sparks. It was one of the oddest and most exhilarating sensations he'd ever experienced._

_Unsure of how much time had passed, eventually Ichigo felt Tatsuki's hand trail down his neck as she slowly pulled away from him. His mouth was still chasing hers when his eyes finally drifted open, only to take in the sight of Tatsuki's half-lidded orbs, a sated little smile dancing where his lips had just been…_

Ichigo mentally berated himself. There it was again, the true source of his insomnia tonight. No matter how hard he tried to redirect his thoughts his brain stubbornly clung to the memory of Tatsuki kissing him, the scene on an infinite loop as it played over and over in his head.

He still wasn't really sure why she'd done it. She'd said it was a 'thank you'. '_Well it sure as hell hadn't felt like a 'thank you'!_' Tatsuki's 'thank yous' usually consisted of an affectionate punch to the head; the energy he'd sensed from her had felt far more intense than simple appreciation.

He never would have imagined that her lips would be so soft or that her natural aggression could be channeled into something as unbelievably hot as a lip lock. That thought had him amending his earlier musing: Tatsuki was _not_ like family, not when she kissed him like _that_. He tried to think back to any signs or hints of that kind of interest from her but came up with little more than endless hours of their familiar bickering and banter- usually mocking, occasionally flirtatious and always painful for him in the end. Regardless of who started what, he was the one who always ended up getting hit- it was as if he walked around school with a bull's eye on his back that read 'Tatsuki's personal punching bag.'

Funny how it never bothered him. It had been like that between them for as long as he could remember: light-hearted barbs would be exchanged, Tatsuki would invariably punch him and he would cuss at her as she shot him one of her sly, conspiratorial smirks. Then they'd pick right up where they left off.

He wasn't exactly innocent in their exchanges- he'd punched Tatsuki in retaliation more times than he could count, usually on the arm but every once in a while, if he was really feeling adventurous, he'd give her a smack on the back of the head. Those instances had always proved entertaining- he loved the way her eyes widened with incredulity, as though she couldn't believe he'd dared to do it. He always paid for it in the end as her retribution would invariably get more physical… Funny how he never minded that either.

As Ichigo laid there in the darkness, things were starting to make more sense (at least along that middle-of-the-night sort of logic). Tatsuki was far from a regular girl- she didn't wear lip gloss or barrettes, she wore wrist bands and trainers. Instead of shopping and boys, her hobbies fell into the realms of martial arts and video games. He remembered something his mom had mentioned long ago about little boys pulling pigtails on the playground. _Maybe his and Tatsuki's punches had meant more…_

'_Do I like Tatsuki?'_ He chuckled to himself. Of course he liked her- she was probably the coolest girl he knew. He'd had crushes on her when he was younger. He liked her sense of humor, her wit and sarcasm. He liked her fighting spirit and her sense of justice and loyalty. He liked hanging out with her, even if it was just the two of them. She'd been there for him, after his mom. She'd backed him up in fights and always held her own. She called him on his bullshit.

He was the one who'd let _her_ down. After Rukia and his Shinigami powers had entered his life, he'd shut Tatsuki out. The more complicated and dangerous things had gotten, the more he'd pushed her away. After Orihime was taken he knew her rescue was a suicide mission. Somehow he thought Tatsuki was better off hating him; to his great despair, after she'd punched his head through a window, he figured she did.

By some miracle he and the gang had survived their adventures and they'd returned safe and sound. He'd meant to straighten things out with Tatsuki; he just hadn't really known how to do it. Plus there had been Rukia telling him it was a bad idea. But he couldn't really take it much longer- he missed her. All those weeks of avoidance and sideways glances, he could see the pain in her eyes every time he turned away from her. He'd wanted to tell her so badly, had wanted to spill his guts and damn the consequences just so he could stop those looks, so they could be cool again.

Her ignorance was supposed to protect her, but that had royally backfired. He really should have known she'd find out- the girl was nothing if not resourceful. And he probably should have predicted the spirit energy in her; everyone else in his life had gotten a dose so why not his best friend? In the end none of it seemed to matter anyway- she'd been saved and her abductor had been destroyed…

…and she didn't hate him after all. She'd stared up at him in wonder through dust-covered eyelashes. She'd screamed her head (and shoe) off at him on a rooftop but they'd both come out the better for it. She'd blushed up at him from the cradle of his arms. And she'd kissed him- _really_ kissed him. Tatsuki had kissed him with such passion that something purely male and possessive felt like it had roared to life inside of him. It wasn't until her lips were on his that he realized it was exactly what he wanted from her without really knowing it.

_Did he like Tatsuki?_ He smirked to himself as he realized that the answer in his heart was a resounding _yes_. He liked his best friend. He liked her snarky attitude and her carefully concealed vulnerability. And he wanted to kiss her again…

His heart suddenly sank in his chest. _'Does Tatsuki like me?'_ he wondered as sleep finally skirted his consciousness. She'd kissed him, but what did it mean? Did she feel the same way about him or had he read too much into it? Ichigo groaned to himself as he realized that agonizing over feelings for a girl might have been the most 'normal' teenage behavior he'd exhibited since meeting his first hollow. Hormones mixed with Shinigami powers made for exhausting musings. He closed his eyes, knowing sleep was finally settling in. As for Tatsuki… well, he realized he'd just figured out his next mission.

* * *

_The next morning, Shiba Inn…_

Ichigo sat bleary-eyed at the inn's kitchen table, absently watching Ganju make Western-style omelets on the large stovetop. The sleep he'd finally gotten last night was good; he'd just wished he'd had more of it.

In the light of the morning it became obvious that their party which arrived last night were the only current 'guests' of the inn. Ichigo found himself sitting between Ishida and Renji- one delicately sipping his hot tea while the other voraciously shoveled clumps of egg into his mouth. The sound of Renji's chopsticks scraping the plate had the substitute Shinigami glancing over at the redhead as he tilted his head back for the last mouthful, then plopped the dish on the table with a satisfied sigh.

Sensing Ichigo's eyes on him, the lieutenant stared over at him before glancing down at the untouched plate in front of the teen. "Hey, Ichigo, you gonna eat that?"

"Yeah, I am," Ichigo replied, though he didn't make a move towards his food.

"Don't worry, lieutenant, there's plenty to go around," Ganju said, shaking his pan vigorously over the burner. "You can have this one- do you eat mushrooms and tofu?"

Ichigo cut in, "Renji eats anything you put in front of him."

Chad and Hanataro, both seated opposite them, silently chuckled as they helped themselves to the bowl of sliced fruit on the table. As he cooked Ganju inquired, "So where is everybody else? I could'a sworn there was more of ya last night."

Ishida replied, "Asano and Kojima were both difficult to wake this morning; after the excitement they had last evening we decided to let them sleep in. Our female companions must still be getting ready."

Hanataro offered sheepishly, "Sorry I arrived so late last night, guys. By the time I got here Ganju said there wasn't anything for me to do."

Ichigo replied, "It's alright, Hanataro. Our friend Tatsuki was the only one still injured but Orihime said she wanted to take care of her…" After a moment he cleared his throat, then asked as casually as possible, "So… where are the girls anyway?"

"Right here," Rukia answered as the three ladies sauntered into the kitchen. Pleasant greetings were exchanged as the girls found seats around the table, Tatsuki and Orihime settling in on the other side of Chad while Rukia took the seat next to Ichigo. Orihime kept yawning loudly amidst her cheerful 'good morning's; Ichigo noticed that Tatsuki looked surprisingly pleasant for first thing in the morning. She was wearing a pair of black pants she'd gotten from somewhere; they were so long she'd had to cuff the bottoms. To his secret delight, she was still wearing his hoodie from last night- it practically swallowed her and she looked as though she was trying to hide inside of it, with the sleeves pulled all the way up to her knuckles. Still, he managed to get a glimpse of her neck; he couldn't see any of the marks she'd gotten from her abduction. She looked rested and was even sort of smiling- it was as if the events of the previous night had never happened.

…Except she must have caught him staring because she shot him an odd, curious look. Having been spotted all Ichigo could offer was a shrug and a crooked half-smile. Tatsuki only frowned at him, rolling her eyes before pointedly looking away. A cup of tea was placed in front of her and she wrapped her hands around it, warming them.

Chad spoke quietly to her, "You look well this morning, Arisawa. Are you feeling okay?"

Slightly surprised by his inquiry, she gave him a reassuring nod, "A lot better today. Thanks for asking, Sado."

He nodded back, "I'm glad everyone is okay. If you are hungry Ganju is making omelets."

Hearing that Orihime squealed with glee, "Oh I love omelets! Ganju, can I have one with daikon and raisins?"

Discrete faces of revulsion were made around the table as Ganju stared at the girl for a moment, Renji's omelet close to burning in the pan. Finally judging her to be serious the gruff man shrugged, "That'll be a first for me. I'll see what we've got, Orihime." Then he looked to Tatsuki, "And what about you, little lady? What can I get you for breakfast?"

Ichigo was surprised that Tatsuki didn't take offense at the 'little lady' comment as that sort of thing usually riled her. After thinking for only a moment, she replied, "I'll have what 'Hime's having; sounds interesting."

"Oh Tatsuki, I think you'll really like it- it's my favorite kind! I like to pour maple syrup on top of mine!" Orihime gushed.

Ishida raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he gave Tatsuki a meaningful look, "Arisawa, that's an… _unusual_ selection. Are you sure you're feeling alright this morning?"

She peered at him innocently over the rim of her cup as she sipped, then looked around at the others. Carefully setting her cup down she shrugged one shoulder noncommittally while replying, "I feel fine. Pretty good, actually."

Orihime chirped excitedly, "Tatsuki's great! Now she just needs to get her strength back by eating a delicious and nutritious meal!"

Tatsuki chuckled with her friend as Ichigo eyed them both suspiciously, "I think those two might be spending too much time together…"

* * *

Ten minutes later Ganju was dishing out two conspicuous looking omelets for the girls. True to her word Orihime poured maple syrup all over her plate and then offered the bottle to her friend. The others watched with curiosity as Tatsuki accepted it, eyed the bottle for a moment, and then drizzled some on one side of her omelet, too. Orihime dug right in but no one seemed to breathe as Tatsuki took her first hesitant bite… and smiled in approval. "It's good, 'Hime. Strange, but good."

Orihime nodded her agreement around a mouthful of gooey omelet as the others cringed inwardly. Ichigo muttered, "Definitely too much time together…"

* * *

Fifteen minutes after that Orihime was popping the last bite into her mouth leaving behind a very empty plate. Tatsuki had put a respectable dent in hers as well, however it was quite obvious that the further she'd gotten into the dish the longer it was taking her to chew and swallow, as if she'd slowly but surely lost the taste for it. Finally hitting her limit, she discretely nudged the plate away from herself and returned to nursing her tea. Ichigo could almost imagine that she looked a shade greener.

Having polished off his second omelet, Renji inquired, "So are we going to Seireitei today or what?"

Everyone seemed curious as to the answer but Rukia shook her head in the negative, "It seems the Council couldn't convene to meet with Yoruichi until tomorrow, so we'll just be passing the time here at the inn until then. Hopefully Shihoin-san will get us all safe passage. Renji, you and I are supposed to stay here with everyone until we have official permission to return; apparently, we left the human world without authorization." At the last remark she made a resigned huff.

The lieutenant raised a tattooed eyebrow, "Oh yeah? Shit. Well, next time I'll be sure and schedule our random Arrancar attacks when it's more convenient to the Gotei 13."

The entire table erupted into laughter except for one, who seemed just a little too uncomfortable for jokes. Chad noticed; he leaned over and quietly asked, "You okay, Tatsuki? Suddenly you look like you don't feel so well."

She braved a half-hearted smile up at him, "Um, fine. Just… um… full, I guess. I'm good."

Chad nodded, whispering, "Probably something you ate…"

* * *

_In Hueco Mundo…_

Deep in Aizen's castle, several Fraccion sat in front of vast illuminated monitors, their long spindly fingers plugged directly into transparent digitized pads resembling keyboards. Created to be humanoid computers and compilers, the beings seemed to lack any discernable social mannerisms or behaviors. The scleras of their eyes were all blindingly white, appearing sightless though in actuality seeing far more. The being in the front, serving as the chief technician, seemed to work at a significantly faster pace than the others. He alone seemed to register the arrival of their creator- or at least the clone of him- the late Szayel Aporro Granz.

The analytical Espada addressed his chief technician as if chatting with a fond acquaintance, "Any news on the movements of our little guinea pigs?"

Without pausing in his current tasks the chief technician replied flatly, "Doctor Granz, as of 22:17 last night the subjects are no longer detectable."

Feigning surprise, the scientist raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? Can that be? Are you saying you lost track of them due to a Shinigami's shielding techniques?"

There was only the slightest of pauses before the tech answered, "Negative, Doctor. The calculations would still allow for detection of trace amounts of reiatsu from the subjects. The signatures have vanished from the living world. An error must have occurred with the data."

But the pink haired scientist only chuckled in response, "No. There's nothing wrong with the data…" and he tapped the rims of his bony spectacles thoughtfully. "Well, it seems Urahara Kisuke works even more expeditiously than I would have anticipated."

The head Fraccion stated blankly, "Please advise on alternate parameters for the search."

"Quite to the point aren't you, my pet?" Granz teased playfully. "I've got some parameters that will blow your tiny little digitized mind."

* * *

A/N: Ok that's numbah 3! 4 is being put together and should be out pretty soon. We'll get to see Tatsuki's thoughts on all this and get a bit more info on what's going on with her, because let's face it- this is her story ^_^ Please review!

Thanks, Mira


	4. Wilted

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Hi again! Hearing some interesting theories on what's going on with Tatsuki now that the gang has made it to the Spirit World. Well, let's delve a bit deeper, shall we? Ichigo had his introspective moment last chapter, this time it Tatsuki's turn- I just can't seem to help myself. Haha sorry guys! Please enjoy…

* * *

Chapter 4: Wilted

_Shiba Inn, just after breakfast…_

Tatsuki figured she'd made a clean getaway. After waiting a respectable time for post-meal chit-chat she'd discretely and politely excused herself from the table. She remembered muttering something believable about wanting to check on the still-sleeping boys and perhaps washing up.

She'd hoped to make a quick escape up to the room; however she'd only made it across the first floor to the bottom of the stairs before she'd had to slow down. Slightly winded, she leaned heavily against the banister- the two flights of stairs above her suddenly seemed daunting.

'_What the hell's going on with me?'_ she wondered. She'd awakened in the morning well rested and in good spirits, cheerful even (and she wasn't usually one for cheerfulness). She couldn't explain the elated feeling she'd had at simply joining Orihime and the others for a meal. _'And breakfast- Jeez, what had happened there?'_ The first few bites of Orihime's crazy omelet had admittedly tasted delicious. The next few bites however, had tasted stranger and stranger- almost morphing as she chewed- until she found she couldn't really stomach any more of the odd concoction. She'd only made it through half of the bizarre meal before she'd had to politely shove it away. And her mood had seemed to sour with every bite; it had felt as though each passing minute bled her spirits until she could barely keep from frowning. By the time she was finished she felt an inexplicable chill of loneliness despite being surrounded by the same familiar faces she'd so eagerly joined before.

'_Maybe I'm going crazy or something…'_ she mused. Nothing about the morning made much sense. She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes. So tired. She could definitely go back to sleep. With any luck maybe she'd wake up in her own bed and this whole mess would have been a wacky dream…

"Hey Tats, there you are. Glad I caught you."

'_Greeeeat…'_ The last person she really wanted to talk to right now. _'I dunno. Maybe I'm hearing things, too…'_ She slowly opened her eyes to a black-clad torso, _'…or maybe not.'_

"Ichigo, what's up?" she tried to sound casual.

He was standing right in front of her, inadvertently blocking her path to the stairs. Tatsuki was reminded of just how much taller Ichigo was- his head blocked out the chandelier casting him in shadow; in that moment it gave him a rather imposing silhouette. "I just wanted to… um… check on you, I guess. You looked a little pale in there just now…"

She had to admit it was kind of sweet and fairly direct given his avoidance over the past few months. Maybe he figured their screaming match on the roof last night (which she totally won) cleared the air for them. Or maybe he felt obligated to her after their unexpected lip-lock. More than anything, though, his timing just plainly sucked. "I'm fine, Ichigo. Just a little tired is all. Think I'm still adjusting to the spirit world or something. Just need some rest." _'Take a hint, dude.'_

Apparently he wasn't a mind-reader. Instead he leaned a shoulder and hip against the wall next to her- _still_ between her and the steps. His head tilted down towards her, "Yeah? You sure you're okay?"

He was uncomfortably close. Why did he have to lean in so close? Looking up to see just how close he was, Tatsuki made the mistake of looking into his eyes… and gulped. There it was- that soft yet somber gaze reserved for those exceedingly rare moments when they'd promised to take each other seriously. Except now there was something else mixed in, something gentle and expectant, almost…

Tatsuki looked away nervously, catching the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "I'm fine. Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she muttered, pointedly avoiding eye contact in favor of glancing down at her foot wear (Jinta really had awful taste in sneakers, didn't he?).

Ichigo's voice sounded smooth in her ear, "Maybe because after what you've been through no one expects you to be 'fine', Tats. It's okay if you're not 'fine' yet. I just…" he paused, then huffed exasperatedly causing her spiky bangs to flutter a little. _'…Definitely too close.'_

He lowered his voice even though they both knew no one else was around, "…I know you. And I'm here if you need any help getting to 'fine'. You can be honest with me, Tats. Like we used to be. I miss…" she watched his fingers motion between the two of them, "…you know… us."

The pause that followed spoke volumes in its silence. In the span of a few seconds she had countless flashbacks of the two of them just hanging out and having fun as two best friends. Sitting on his or her floor with a perfectly good couch at their backs as they played video games or did their homework together. Wisecracking with him between classes under the guise of bickering. Staying late at the dojo for just one more bone-jarring match. Whispering into the phone under the covers long after they were both supposed to be asleep. They all culminated in the image of being cradled in his arms on that rooftop, staring at his lips as she finally decided she would kiss him…

She dismissed the memory, laughing nervously, "You mean Ishida and Chad don't have game like me at Halo and Final Fantasy?"

She heard him chuckle low in his chest as he answered, "Not even close. And Orihime refuses to kick my ass in sparring matches no matter how much I ask her, though Renji has generously offered his services in that department. Of course, it takes nothing for Rukia to call me horrible names or hit me, so no worries there…"

"Glad to see I'm not totally replaceable," she smiled to herself as she slowly looked up toward his face.

Ichigo's eyes were waiting, capturing hers with an uncanny magnetism. She blinked rapidly, somewhat startled by the intensity of his gaze. The corner of his lips quirked into the shadow of a smirk. "Never happen," he said pointedly, and there was absolutely no room to doubt his sincerity.

She flushed, _'Is it hot in here? Why is it so damn hot all of a sudden?'_ The bulky top she was wearing felt uncomfortably warm just now. _His_ hoodie. She probably should have left it up in the room this morning but it had been so comfortable. Something about the oversized fit, the too-long sleeves, somehow made her feel shielded and safe. It even still smelled like him…

Tatsuki was blushing to herself when she noticed Ichigo's eyes trail down past her chin. Before she could really register what was happening he'd reached a hand out towards her chest. She instinctively flinched, but he only fingered the zipper of the hoodie, tugging the collar to the side to reveal some of her bare neck. "Just seeing for myself. Looks like your wounds are healed," he said. Then he frowned a little, muttering, "…at least the ones on the outside, anyway…"

The middle of her chest clenched at his words. He did know her, knew her all too well. And he was _definitely_ too close, his taller form bent over her as his fingers still gently tugged at her collar. And he was still wearing that damn Shinigami uniform that somehow made him look all kinds of rugged and handsome. Something just under her skin tingled and itched, longing to reach out and just touch him- his hand or his face, or perhaps that long stretch of torso peeking out of his uwagi. Yet, another part of her inexplicably demanded as much distance between them as she could manage, as though contact might spell some bizarre sort of disaster.

With a heavy breath she took a decisive step to the side, sliding against the wall and out of his reach, her clothing sliding out of his light grasp. "I, um…" Tatsuki's legs felt like jelly but she kept them straight, circling around him to reach the stairs. Mustering as much strength as she could manage she straightened her spine, fixing him with a stern look, "I'm gonna say it one more time- I'm fine."

Startled by her smooth escape, Ichigo opened his mouth to say something. But then he closed it, sighing resignedly; he gave her a single silent nod instead. Her resolve softened a little, "But… I remember, too," she added, and caught the flash of hope that flitted across his face, "And I, um… appreciate…" she made a familiar motion between them with her fingers, "…you know… this… okay?"

He gave her the hint of a smile, nodding his acceptance, "Okay, Tats. Just… remember what I said?"

She gave him a half-hearted smile that didn't fool either of them, and then hastily turned away before either could change their minds. Strength practically drained, she trudged up the stairs on will-power alone, her small feet as heavy as cement blocks. They were almost as heavy as the weight of his gaze on her retreating back.

* * *

_A bit earlier, upstairs…_

Mizuiro knocked gently on the door to Keigo's room. Waiting a few seconds and hearing no response, he knocked louder. Still nothing. He tried to whisper through the door, "Keigo? Keigo, you in there?" Some muffled indiscernible response issued from inside, and he took that as an invitation to try the knob.

Finding it open, he poked his head inside and immediately caught sight of his school friend sprawled sideways across his bedroll. "Keigo, are you still sleeping?"

A brown head turned towards the door and Mizuiro could see that his friend's eyes were open, his face fixed in a pout. The teen answered, "No, I'm awake. Just didn't feel like getting up." Then he rolled over onto his back, rubbing his face vigorously with his hands, "Chad and Renji left a while ago. Breakfast, I guess."

Mizuiro slipped into the room closing the door behind him. "Yeah, Ichigo and Uryu, too. They told me to take my time," he plopped down at the foot of Keigo's bedroll, "But I wasn't really in a hurry to leave. Renji came by our room and mentioned you were still sleeping, so I just stayed in bed, too."

Keigo propped himself up on his elbows and looked at his friend, "Dude, something's eatin' at you, isn't it?" When Mizuiro only sighed in answer, the brunet sat up all the way and crossed his legs. "What's wrong, Mizuiro?"

The boy shrugged, "I just… I had trouble sleeping last night. I had a nightmare. Well, actually a few. About those monsters that came after us."

"Yeah, I hear ya, dude. I was totally freaked out," Keigo nodded knowingly.

The darker haired teen absently fingered a wrinkle in the bed sheet, "I keep thinking about what might have happened if Renji and Ishida hadn't shown up…"

"Man, I guess we would have been goners," his friend shrugged.

He shook his head adamantly, "But that's just it- I don't think they were there to kill us! I think they were there to capture us! Look at Tatsuki- she was kidnapped! She was being taken someplace else."

Keigo raised a curious eyebrow, "Dude, how do you know that?"

"Well… I overheard Uryu and Ichigo whispering last night. The monsters are called 'Arrancar'. Ichigo said they were from some place called Hueco Mundo."

"Where the hell is that? I've never heard of it. Is it south of Karakura?" the groggy teen asked, scratching his head.

Mizuiro rolled his eyes, "No Keigo, I think it's in _another dimension_- like this place. I think it might be where the Hollows come from."

"Huh. Urahara never said anything about a 'Hueco Mundo'," Keigo mused.

"That's exactly what I'm saying! Urahara may have explained some things- parts of the big picture- but we're still in the dark about so much of this!" When all he got was a clueless look from the brunet, Mizuiro sighed exasperatedly before trying again, "Think about it- all of these things happening so fast, out of the blue? Keigo, one minute we're going to the store for snacks and magazines… next thing we're being hunted by monsters? I mean, why? Why would they want _us_?"

Keigo shrugged, "Maybe they thought we're like the others? Maybe they got us mixed up," then he smirked, "Maybe they thought you were Orihime and I was Chad? Dude, I dunno! I'm just glad we're still in one piece."

Mizuiro stared blankly at his friend, eyebrow raising inquisitively, "We travelled through a sucking vortex to an alternate dimension of Spirits with our missing classmates, undead Soul Reapers and a talking cat… and you're just glad we're in one piece?"

"Hmm… yeah, guess so."

The quiet teen couldn't take it anymore. "Keigo, why are _you_ of all people so calm right now?" he screeched.

"Oh. Well… I did most of my freaking out yesterday. I passed out three times…" Keigo rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Or was it four…?"

Mizuiro shook his head in disbelief, "So… now you're fine?"

"Pssht! Naaah! But I'm doing a hell of a lot better than Tatsuki," and both boys groaned at the mention of their mutual friend. "Did you see her at the shop? If looks could kill, we wouldn't have needed a portal to get to the Spirit World! Jeez!"

"I just hope Orihime fixed her up like she fixed me," Mizuiro added thoughtfully. Then he glanced around the room, "You know, we should probably change the subject- remember she has a way of showing up right when we're talking about her…"

As if on cue, three quick knocks sounded on the door, instantly followed by a dark spiky head poking its way inside. Seeing the two of them just sitting there, Tatsuki barked, "Hey chuckleheads! What're you still doin' up here? Get yer butts downstairs- chow time."

Mizuiro jumped in shock, a guilty look plastered all over his face, "Oh, uh… Hi Tatsuki!"

She frowned, narrowing suspicious eyes at the pair, "I'm not gonna ask what you two have been up to in here. Everyone else is downstairs in the kitchen enjoying a nice breakfast. Don't you want something to eat?" When Keigo simply shot her a meaningful look the surly tomboy sighed in the doorway, rolling her eyes, "Omelets."

The brunet perked up immediately, "Damn it woman, why didn't you start with that? Let's go, Mizuiro. Tatsuki, you comin' with?"

She made a face, "Already ate. You two are on your own," and before they could ask her what she meant she'd ducked back out of sight.

"Yeah, that wasn't weird at all," Mizuiro quipped. "At least she's talking to us today."

Keigo was already getting to his feet, "Our lovely little ninja handful. She seems fine. Come on, dude- there's some eggs downstairs with our names on 'em!" and Mizuiro had to scramble to catch up.

* * *

_In the girls' room…_

She'd planned on washing up once upstairs, but by the time Tatsuki hit her own room she was deliriously exhausted. Trudging inside, her bedroll looked more inviting than anything she'd ever seen. As she collapsed onto the pillow, her eyes drifted shut of their own accord. _A short nap…_ she figured that's all she needed.

Of course, despite her fatigue, her traitorous mind pushed certain memorable moments to the forefront. She now officially had a phobia about things touching her throat- though not one for jewelry anyway, after last night's encounter with that clawed demon she doubted she'd ever have the inclination to wear a necklace again. And she probably wouldn't be sky-diving any time soon. However, compared to what was really occupying her thoughts, those small matters took a back seat.

Ichigo. _Shit._

Sporadic infatuations with an old friend and classmate were one thing, but this…

From the time they became regular sparring partners in karate she'd taken a liking to the strange, goofy little boy. _Okay, fine._ As he grew taller and stronger she'd developed a distinct appreciation for his particular physical attributes. _So what?_ The day that he'd managed to beat her in a sparring match, though, was the day she pretty much fell for him. _Uh-oh._ From time to time other boys would catch her interest, but ultimately her likings always seemed to stray back to the orange-headed wonder.

Of course, she'd never told him. Hell, she'd never told _anyone_- not even Orihime, even after they'd become bestest-best friends, especially once she'd learned of the lovely girl's crush on him. Such traitorous and mushy feelings were better left unspoken and tucked back into the tightest, tiniest corner of her mind where they wouldn't get her into trouble. Assassinations of epic friendships for the slim risk of reciprocated feelings were better left to sappy manga and television shows.

In hindsight, it had been so easy to hate Ichigo for a while. Her anger, while completely justified, had been a convenient distraction from her disorienting feelings towards him. They were supposed to be friends, yet once things had gotten scary he'd cut her out without so much as a 'fuck you'. It was as if he'd thrown their friendship in the trash- that had been plenty enough reason for her to despise the asshole!

But then that freaky vampire-incarnation had to go and snatch her right off the damn street! She'd been fucking kidnapped?~! _Seriously?~!~?_ Not to mention choked into unconsciousness, after which at some point she'd been _dropped_. And when she finally came to- _freefalling_- who should be there slaying her abductor but the very person toward which all that aggression had been directed at in the first place! And damn it if he wasn't totally and epically kicking ass!

What the hell was she supposed to do with that? Under such circumstances how was she expected to act like a normal sane person? How was she supposed to stay pissed at him when he was effortlessly demolishing the monster that had reduced her to a quivering mute? How was she supposed to react when he looked at her like _that_?

The intensity had been eerie, as if he'd been trying to look through her eyes into her soul. Even without words, she knew. Knew from that look. Knew from years and years of knowing him, yet perhaps finally seeing him for the first time. He wasn't going to let her die.

Despite the pavement racing up to meet her, he'd snatched her to safety. Before she'd passed out again, she remembered looking up at one of his rare smiles from the embrace of his arms- very strong arms that hadn't been around her in a very long time. She remembered thinking that he hadn't smiled like that in a long time either.

She probably should have left well enough alone. He'd already saved her life- for most people that would have been enough. But no, once she'd regained consciousness she was haunted by so many unanswered questions, so much mysterious uncertainty. And so with the departure of her last vestiges of sanity she'd picked a fight with her best friend and super-human Shinigami rescuer in the middle of a damn roof. _Brilliant._

And yet he'd been patient and understanding. Ichigo had told her he'd only been trying to protect her. He'd told her that the cold distance had been part of his noble (if not grossly ill-conceived) plan. He cared more about keeping her safe- keeping her alive- than her hating him. He cared about _her_.

And just like that she'd gone from wanting to rip his damn head off to wanting to kiss his lips clean off his face. And for once her stupid brain had given in to her naïve impulses. _Shit._ Maybe she could call a do-over.

A dull throbbing had settled into Tatsuki's temples. The sunlight in the room was too bright, but she lacked the energy to get up and pull the curtains. Instead she settled for slinging her elbow across her eyes. Why wasn't she asleep yet, anyway?

Why didn't she realize right away that neither daikon nor raisins belonged anywhere near an _omelet_? And why did that idiot look so damn good in his Shinigami garb? Sure, black was pretty flattering on most people- that tattooed annoyance went from a curious blip in a school uniform to distractingly sizzling in those black robes last night… until he decided to feel her up, that is. Rukia had seemed somewhat taller. Even that sweet new guy at the breakfast table had been kinda cute…

…_Aaaaand now I'm delirious. Awesome._

It was all in her head- the lingering looks, the gentleness in his tone… the concern in his eyes… the shadow of a smile on his lips… _on his very kissable lips…_

A cloud must have passed over the sun because the room darkened a turn, reminding her of her fatigue. Her brain was so tired; she wished it would just shut off for a little while…

By turns Tatsuki finally fell into a deep slumber and dreamt- of giant swords and glowing serpent's eyes, of talking cats and wily men in striped bucket hats. By turn the dreams grew darker. After a while, she was falling…

* * *

_That afternoon…_

Uryu Ishida averted his eyes from Inoue's bottom as she climbed the stairs in front of him because he was a gentleman, and that is what gentlemen did.

She was chatting about something, tittering like a little bird whose every word inevitably blends into a light song. He was halfway listening- with Inoue one could still get the gist of the conversation even if only catching every third word. Truthfully he found he simply liked the light tone of her voice- it soothed him in a way that usually only Rachmaninoff could. In his otherwise staunch world he found her chaotic and exuberant spontaneity refreshing, like a bolt of shiny pink taffeta in a warehouse full of drab cotton blends.

As they reached the top of the stairs he could once again look at her face-to-face without the added distraction of the loss of eye contact. He realized he'd missed a bit more of her conversation than he'd meant to, "…And that was _after_ the time she let me put makeup on her. She looked so cute! And I told her so- but she still wouldn't leave the apartment, not even to go to the boutique with me! But I kinda figured that. She's a very private person- she doesn't like to show off like that or draw attention to herself…"

He offered an appropriately timed 'Mm hm' that earned an approving smile. Then she commenced again, "I hope she's okay. I noticed that the omelet didn't go over as well as I'd hoped it would, but it couldn't have been that bad! I mean mine was just fine and we ate the same thing! Tatsuki has these times when she just wants to be left alone, but I don't think she'd mean to miss lunch. Thank you for coming with me to check on her, Uryu. You're such a good person."

He smiled to himself as she finally took a breath, giving him a chance to get a word in. "It's no trouble, Inoue. Arisawa and the boys had a frightening evening yesterday- it's natural that they'd need some time to adjust. And you said it yourself- Arisawa is a private person. However, I'm sure she'd appreciate being called for lunch, even if she happens to not be hungry. I'm sure she'll be glad you checked on her."

They finally reached the girls' room, stopping just outside the door.

"I just can't imagine that she's been cooped up in the room all this time…" Orihime opened the door carefully, announcing their presence, "Tatsuki? You in here? It's me, 'Hime. And I brought Uryu. We didn't want you to miss lunch…" she paused when there was no response. "Tatsuki?"

Uryu had hung back in the doorway, because that's what a gentleman did. After all, he wasn't going to barge into a woman's room- especially one he didn't know that well- without clear knowledge of her state of mind, or dress for that matter. However, fate forced his hand when he heard Inoue squeal, "Uryu! Come quick! Tatsuki's not waking up!"

In an instant he'd made his way into the room to find Inoue kneeling next to her best friend's bedroll. Despite being roughly shaken by the redhead, the dark-haired tomboy didn't respond. Crouching down beside her, he heard the fear in Inoue's voice, "Uryu, I don't think she's breathing! What's wrong with her?"

His mind switched immediately into clinical mode. After only a few seconds he realized that she was breathing, however neither deeply enough nor at an appropriate rate. Her skin appeared pale and clammy; she looked for all the world like a fresh corpse- something the young Quincy had unfortunately seen before. _'This isn't good…'_

He turned to Inoue, who appeared as though she would spiral into hysterics. Grabbing her shoulder a bit too firmly he shook her to bring her attention back to him, "Inoue, look at me."

"But Uryu…"

He fixed serious eyes on the girl, "Inoue, Arisawa is alive but she needs help."

"But… wh-what do we do?"

"Inoue, you must find help- go get Hanataro. And Rukia or Renji if you can find them."

Her eyes widened before drifting back to her unconscious friend. He didn't have time to be gentle with her, "Inoue, NOW!"

Her eyes snapped back to his and she nodded. Then in a blink she fled from the room. He could hear her footfalls in the hall as she ran toward the steps calling out for help.

Turning his attention back to the unresponsive girl at his knees, he wondered if there was really anything he could do for her.

'_Arisawa, what in the world could have happened to you?'_

* * *

_Uwagi: short kimono or top half of a martial arts uniform._

A/N: Alright! Another chap finished! And boy do I have some fun planned in the next one! The truth about Tatsuki's 'condition' finally comes out- how will this affect their trip to Soul Society? Well you'll just have to come back and see. ^_^ Thanks to all who have reviewed the previous chapters!


	5. Awakening

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Alright, I'll admit that the last chapter left on a fairly cruel cliff-hanger. I'm guessing this chapter is one that many of you have been anticipating, with answers to some of those probing questions about what's been going on with Tatsuki. Some of you have had your suspicions- let's see how close you were. So without further ado…

* * *

Chapter 5: Awakening

_Shiba Inn, Tatsuki's room…_

She knew she was dreaming, yet unlike other nightmares she'd had, Tatsuki couldn't wake herself. She was falling again, into an endless darkness. She felt the wind whipping mercilessly at her body but she couldn't breathe- couldn't get air into her starving lungs despite inhaling with all her might. It was as if the fall was creating some sort of vacuum, stealing precious oxygen from the deepest corners of her chest until her whole body burned from the inside out.

Then suddenly her head was tilted back and an intense ring of energy sealed around her mouth. She felt her lungs expand and empty- once, twice, three times- until she began to cough and shake and moan.

"Arisawa? Arisawa! That's it! Breathe, Tatsuki. Slow down, you'll be fine," a too-near voice reassured her. Still sucking in great gouts of air, Tatsuki opened her eyes only to look up into the spectacled face of _Uryu Ishida_.

'_What the holy 'effen hell…?'_

He was _way_ too close, hovering over her so near that wisps of his long hair were brushing her cheeks. One of his hands cradled her head while the other was pressed into the floor just next to her ribs supporting his weight; she realized she had a death-grip on his sleeve- likely the reason he was still leaning so near.

"Www… what… happ-" she couldn't finish the sentence. Her chest hurt too much and the place on her neck where her wounds had been was burning like a fresh cut. Her whole body felt freezing except for her lips, which for some odd reason felt hot and tingly.

The sound of people crashing through the door startled them both. Even without being able to see him, she recognized Ichigo shouting, "What's going on? Tatsuki?~! Uryu, what the_ hell are you doing_?~!"

From her position on the bedroll Tatsuki bent her head back until she had an absurd upside-down view of her friends hustling through the doorway- at the front of the pack was the newest Soul Reaper from the breakfast table with Ichigo and Orihime just behind. They were followed immediately by the other two Shinigami- Rukia and the tattooed Lieutenant. She saw Sado towards the back with Keigo and Mizuiro peeking around the giant's arm like curious pre-schoolers. She noted with increasing trepidation that everyone had confused and frightened looks on their faces.

Just above her Uryu sighed, answering all too matter-of-factly, "I was resuscitating her, Ichigo. Arisawa stopped breathing so I had to breathe for her. She seems to be recovering…" At that he finally sat back on his heels, giving her some much-needed space. However, Tatsuki was too busy squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment; his words had confirmed it- for the _second_ time in the past 24 hours she'd had another boy's lips on hers.

Ichigo tried to get closer, however Hanataro held him back, "Guys, give her some space. Let me check on her, okay?" When he was sure the teen was going to heed his words, he pulled the pack off his back and crouched next to Uryu. He gave Tatsuki a reassuring smile when she opened her eyes, "Hi there, Arisawa-san. We met at breakfast- my name's Hanataro and I work with the medical division. I'm going to check you over, okay?"

When she responded with a hesitant nod he opened his bag and retrieved some strange looking instruments and laid them out on the floor. While he pulled on a pair of exam gloves he asked Uryu, "Ishida-san, can you tell me anything about what happened to her?"

Uryu shrugged slightly, "We're not really certain what happened. After Arisawa didn't come down for lunch Inoue wanted to check on her. The last anyone had seen her was shortly after breakfast when she was heading to her room. Once we arrived up here we found her unconscious on the floor. She was barely breathing and her carotid pulse was slow and weak. I sent Inoue for help then began administering CPR."

Hanataro listened intently as he waved a small device several inches over Tatsuki's head and chest. She eyed both it and the Shinigami with apprehension but lay still as he proceeded. "Alright, and how long was it before she was revived?"

"Only a minute or so. She didn't seem to respond to the chest compressions, but when I gave her, well, that is to say… once I administered rescue breathing she came around quite suddenly. You all arrived only moments after she regained consciousness," Uryu confirmed, slightly flustered.

Hanataro checked a reading on his device, then flipped it around and clicked on a beam of light. Propping each of her lids open, he checked Tatsuki's pupils. "Arisawa, do you remember what happened? Did you fall or hit your head?" As he asked he pressed his gloved fingers against her scalp and then down along the back of her neck.

Tatsuki hesitantly replied, "I don't… know. I don't believe so. I just… I just laid down for a nap. I didn't feel well."

"How do you mean you didn't feel well?" Hanataro prodded, checking her arms and hands.

Tatsuki gave a small shrug, "I'm not certain… rather tired, I suppose."

"Do you have pain anywhere right now?" he asked.

"No," she replied, and then sat up slowly to look herself over as if to confirm, "But when I woke up my neck and stomach were quite painful." She raised a hand and tentatively touched her throat, "They don't really hurt anymore."

Seemingly satisfied with his preliminary exam, he nodded, "Okay. And how do you feel right now?"

She winced a little, "Somewhat nauseous… and, um," she mumbled something incoherent and Hanataro bent his head, urging her to speak up. She rolled her eyes and then muttered softly, "my lips feel… I don't know, kind of tickly."

He smiled at her reassuringly, "Well, that might be from not breathing. We'll keep an eye on it, okay?"

Ichigo finally piped up, unable to contain his worry any longer, "Hanataro, is she okay? I mean what happened to her? Why was she unconscious?"

Hanataro finally noticed all of the expectant eyes trained on him- everyone had formed a sort of semi-circle around him and Uryu. "Well, I'm not really sure, Ichigo. I should probably do a few more tests to exclude an illness or an underlying health issue, but right now all of her vital signs are good. She seems fine, if only a little weak."

Keigo, who had moved closer towards Tatsuki's feet, scratched his head in confusion, "Yeah, that's all fine and everything but why is she talking funny?"

Hanataro shot the boy a puzzled look, "Talking funny? How do you mean?"

But Orihime chimed in, "Tatsuki's going to be okay, right Hanataro?"

Tatsuki answered for him, "I'll be fine, Orihime. It's just this ridiculous dimensional transition- it doesn't feel like the real world. But I'll adjust- it's nothing to worry about, alright?" In truth she still felt a little woozy but she figured that putting on a strong front now would probably save her some hassle down the road. Still, she wasn't fool enough to get up on her own power; noticing Keigo standing the nearest she motioned toward him, "Hey, Chuckles- give a girl a hand up, would you?"

Keigo wrinkled his nose at her but complied. "Sure thing, _your highness_," he mocked and, grabbing her hand with both of his, hoisted her up. Tatsuki tried to ignore the strange warmth that instantly seeped into her palm as he held her hand and concentrated instead on staying upright. "Glad you're gonna be okay, dude. For a minute there we were… we were… afraid… wha-"

The rest of Keigo's words were lost as he fainted dead on his feet, nearly pulling Tatsuki back down as he slumped to the floor.

Orihime screamed, Mizuiro yelled in protest and Tatsuki immediately stepped back from the unconscious boy, utterly bewildered. She looked down at her hand, still warm and tingling from touching him.

Hanataro and the others looked in confusion from Keigo to Tatsuki to Keigo again as the girl backed away further, mumbling, "Oh shit. _Oh shit!_ Dude, what the hell…?"

The Shinigami medic turned his full attention to the unconscious Keigo even as he instructed everyone in the room, "No one touch this boy. And no one touch Arisawa-san- not until we figure out what's going on."

Tatsuki stumbled numbly away until the back of her knees hit the edge of a chair at the far end of the room; she sank into it heavily, never taking her eyes off of Keigo as Hanataro examined him. Her mind was reeling- last night, the journey, the fatigue, the healing, the breakfast, the tingling… the conclusion she was drawing towards seemed too bizarre to be real.

Sensing someone, she looked over to find Ichigo crouched next to her, intimately close yet still carefully avoiding direct contact. The look of pleading concern in his eyes took her by surprise as he asked, "Tats, do you know what's going on?"

"It's me," she whispered, barely able to give it voice.

Ichigo's eyebrows huddled together, "What? What's you?" Then he looked over at Keigo on the floor. "That?"

She hurriedly nodded in response, "When he held my hand I could feel it. And then he fell…" She crossed her arms protectively, fighting the urge to rock on the chair like a child, "And last night with Orihime- when she tried to heal me… something wasn't right… I heard the spirits from her hairpins…"

Tatsuki saw the calm concentration on his face even though she knew she wasn't making much sense. She bit her lip nervously and another realization hit her, "…Oh God, and just now with Ishida! When he…" she tentatively touched her lips with her fingertips, "…and that's why I woke up! It's me! Ichigo, it's me!"

She searched his eyes for some sign of comfort but found only worry reflected in them. Still, he made a valiant effort to soothe her, "Tats, I'm sure there's another explanation for all this."

But she shook her head, "No Ichigo! There's something wrong with me! _I_ did this!"

A shadow falling over her had them both looking up to a stern-looking Lt. Abarai, tattooed forearms crossed over his chest as he stared down at them, "There's little doubt about that." He raised a sharp eyebrow at her before glancing back at the unconscious teenager on the floor behind them, "Little girl, we need to talk."

* * *

_Shiba Inn kitchen, forty five minutes later…_

Hanataro Yamada wasn't certain what it was about the prodigal substitute Soul Reaper, but ever since he'd first met Ichigo Kurosaki his own life just seemed to get more and more interesting. Take Ichigo's newest batch of friends, for example- the girl, more specifically…

Arisawa was currently seated on the kitchen table- legs dangling lazily over the edge as she waited for the next portion of his exam. By all outward appearances she seemed a normal-looking human teenage girl- thin, fit, a bit rough around the edges but pleasant enough. However, after witnessing the miraculous scene upstairs the young medic knew he needed a closer look at her.

While seemingly an odd setting, the kitchen provided him with an environment most like an exam room, with clean surfaces and minimal extraneous furniture. Most of the chairs had been pushed against the wall to form a makeshift bed for the still-unresponsive Keigo. The alarm over the boy's well-being had subsided after the medic had assured the teen's friends that he was in no imminent danger and that his vital signs were good. That and the fact that Asano was now softly snoring had put everyone more at ease.

Now Hanataro could finally concentrate on his primary patient. True to his word, Lt. Abarai had spent nearly twenty minutes interrogating poor Arisawa before he and Rukia had finally left for Seireitei; regrettably, Yoruichi had to be informed of this latest development. No one was certain what this might mean for the current negotiations on behalf of the Ryoka, but the young medic had an inkling- the counsel had fairly narrow and rigid views when it came to outsiders. He knew he needed to gather as much data as possible while he still had the chance.

As he looked at his diagnostic scanner readings for the fifth time he couldn't stifle a muttered exclamation of "Fascinating…"; he was surprised that after only a short time he'd formed a fairly plausible theory for what had happened to the girl. Now he was eager for her to confirm what he'd learned, "So, Arisawa-san, you say your main symptom is weakness and fatigue, which you first noticed last night?"

The girl causally tilted her head in thought before answering, "Yeah, I think so. While we were walking through the Rukongai."

"And you didn't have any of these symptoms before traveling to the Spirit World?" he prodded.

She shrugged a shoulder, "I don't think so. I wasn't exactly in the best shape after that guy grabbed me, but I was alright."

He referenced an entry in the small notebook he'd been writing in, "Right, the attempted abduction by the Arrancar. And now that we've laid out a very detailed timeline of your last twenty four hours, we've found that the symptoms went away whenever you touched someone? Fascinating!"

Tatsuki sighed in frustration- this was the third time she'd answered that question, "I guess so. Last night 'Hime held my hand and I felt better. After she healed me I was fine for the whole night and the next morning. The weakness came back at breakfast, and it just got worse from there."

"And no one touched you for the rest of the day until Ishida-san revived you? I see…"

Tatsuki rolled her eyes again before remembering something, "Actually that's not quite true. Ichigo caught me on the steps before my nap." Her eyes slid guiltily over to the startled teen in question, "He touched me and nothing happened…"

Orihime and Mizuiro exchanged curious looks with each other as Hanataro absorbed this new information, "Really? Tell me more about this encounter! Where did he touch you?"

Tatsuki instantly reddened and Ichigo hurried to correct the medic, "Actually, I didn't touch her. I only touched your zipper, Tatsuki." When Mizuiro couldn't stifle a meaningful cough, he amended, "The zipper of her _jacket_, smartass." He shrugged at Tatsuki, "I only touched your clothing."

"Fascinating! Perhaps it requires skin to skin contact? That would explain why nothing happened when I touched you with gloved hands!" and Hanataro scribbled excitedly into his notebook. "I think we've finally compiled enough data to begin the experiment."

Tatsuki scrunched her nose into a small frown, "Yamada-san, I hate to interrupt, but before we do any 'experiments' could you fill me in? You know what's wrong with me, don't you?"

He suddenly looked up at her from his book and blinked a couple of times, then he shook his head, "But of course! I'm so sorry, Arisawa-san. I'll be happy to explain what I've discovered so far. It's all a matter of spirit energy." He looked around the room, "Does anyone here know about the Spirit World and reiatsu?"

Ishida, who had been quietly observing everything from a seat near the doorway, finally spoke, "I do. As a Quincy I am intimately acquainted with reiatsu, or spirit energy, as our clans are taught to detect it at the youngest of ages. In the living world every living thing possesses some measure of spirit energy that composes their soul. This energy is different than any other kind of tangible or measured energy- kinetic, potential, atomic, caloric, etcetera…"

Looking around, he realized that everyone was quite attentive to his little tutorial so he continued, "When a living thing dies its spirit energy is no longer tethered to the vessel of its body and must therefore pass into the spiritual plane- more commonly referred to as the Spirit World. Due to its complexity, the human spirit has significantly higher levels of spirit energy compared to other living things. After death, a human soul that clings to the physical world for too long will eventually sustain damage to their soul- it will fracture or dissipate; its humanity will be lost and it will become a Hollow."

Hanataro nodded, "That was well put, Ishida-san. Now let me add more information about the Spirit World. He is right that the Spirit World is another plane of existence. In it all things are composed of reiatsu, or spirit energy. The vast majority of souls have a finite level of spirit energy and that is the way they exist until they live out their spirit lives and are reborn.

"In the Spirit World strength is measured by an individual's level of spirit energy. A very small percentage of souls have significantly higher reiatsu by comparison, which allows them to have enhanced abilities fueled by this surplus energy. These souls are the Shinigami who are chosen and cultivated so that their energies can be put towards the betterment of the Spirit World- for ushering human souls here and for defending this world and the human world from the fractured souls. The strongest of these are our Captains."

Tatsuki interjected, "This is starting to sound way too much like school. Okay, let's back up a sec. So based on what Ishida said, instead of traditional matter everything in the Spirit World is composed of energy- specifically spirit energy? So when Shinigami come to the real world are they still made of spirit energy, too?"

Hanataro replied, "Yes, which is why most humans cannot see them. Only a very small portion of humans have high enough levels of reiatsu within themselves to see spirits or Shinigami. For hundreds of years only the Quincy had such levels, whether by genetic predisposition or some other means. Ichigo is one of the most unique cases we've ever encountered- a human with some of the highest levels of spirit energy we've ever seen. His proximity to his friends seems to have in turn enhanced or altered their spirit energy as well, resulting in you guys- the Ryoka."

"Oooooh…" Orihime was nodding slowly, taking it all in.

However, Ichigo, who knew most of this already, was getting impatient, "So Hanataro, what does this mean for Tatsuki?"

"Oh, glad you asked," Hanataro said, "As Ishida mentioned, everything in the Spirit World is composed of spirit energy- regular matter cannot exist in this plane. Urahara-san has discovered an ingenious way for humans to travel through a special portal that essentially converts or translates matter _into_ spirit energy! My theory is that with Arisawa, something went wrong with this process. Here, I'll demonstrate," and the young medic retrieved a small device that he'd been using only moments before.

"It was lucky that I even had this in my travel pack- this device detects reiatsu, among other functions. Its technology is based on that of the soul phones that Shinigami carry in the physical world to detect and track hollows, except this device does a better job of quantifying that energy. It's not exact, but check this out."

Hanataro held the device in front of Tatsuki and scanned her. After glancing at the display he held it up for everyone to see. Mizuiro and Orihime leaned in to get a closer look. Hanataro commented, "See how only a third of the bars are illuminated? Here is the reading I got upstairs right after Arisawa was revived by Ishida-san." After pushing a couple of buttons he held the device up again for everyone to see.

"It's four bars higher!" Mizuiro exclaimed. "So from the time you checked her upstairs to now she's lost that much energy?"

"Precisely!" Hanataro confirmed, "A normal soul's spirit energy is typically stable, however for some reason Arisawa is unable to retain hers. It's literally draining away from her!"

Tatsuki had a sick look on her face, "Wait… So you're saying my energy is just slipping away? It's just gonna keep fading out until it's all _gone_? Does that mean I'm… _dying_?~!~?"

Hanataro thought on this for a second, "Well, I suspect you are losing energy at a constant rate, Arisawa. I can confirm this with more measurements. But if you continue to lose reiatsu like this then in all likelihood, yes, you would either die in this world or you would become a Hollow- as fractured souls do in the human world."

At the sight of her stricken face he quickly added, "_But_… a funny thing has happened to you! For whatever reason, you have adapted the ability to absorb spirit energy from others! Hence the next experiment…" He gestured to Mizuiro, "Kojima-san, if you would come over here…"

After a wary glance around, Mizuiro stepped hesitantly towards the girl seated on the table. Once in front of her he muttered towards Hanataro, "Yeah, I dunno about this, Yamada-san. You sure you know what you're doing?" He couldn't help but steal a look at the still-snoring Keigo against the wall.

Hanataro reassured him, "Oh yes, this will just be a small demonstration." He then positioned Mizuiro a step closer, "Now, hold out your hand- we'll only use one finger. Come on, Arisawa- your participation is essential!"

Tatsuki noticed how once again everyone was staring at her. After a resigned huff, she held a finger out towards Mizuiro, "Don't try anything funny, dude."

He shot her an accusatory glare as though this was all her fault, then tentatively raised his index finger and touched it to hers. Everyone stared at their fingers expectantly- at first it appeared as though nothing was happening. However, after four or five seconds Mizuiro started to look ill; all too soon he pulled his finger away, "Okay, that's enough! Jeez that was weird!"

Hanataro smiled excitedly, "There! Did you feel anything, Arisawa?"

Looking at her finger, she shrugged, "Yeah, a little."

"Well, I sure felt it," Mizuiro complained as Ishida helped him to a chair.

Hanataro replied, "Sorry about that, Kojima-san, but you were the best candidate for this demonstration. I've estimated that you and Asano-san have roughly 5 to10 times the amount of spirit energy of a regular human."

Mizuiro looked up from his seat, "Really? Wow! Well, that's cool."

Hanataro nodded, "Yes, quite remarkable… until you consider that Arisawa here has at least double to quadruple that- roughly 20 to 30 times the reiatsu of a regular human."

"Awe, man…"

But Tatsuki was not excited by this news, "Big whoop. I bet Sado and Orihime have _way_ more than that- they have cool powers! Wait, does that mean that this is my power?" She asked worriedly. Then a look of disgust soured her features, "Oh God, that means I'm some sort of spirit-sucking vampire, aren't I?"

"No Arisawa, I don't think this is a special power. This is more like a fluke- an unfortunate and unforeseen outcome from a highly experimental procedure. Before Urahara came up with the Senkaimon portal, humans were unable to come to the Spirit World. I'll have to confer with him on how this might have happened and how to reverse these effects."

"So they might be temporary?" Ichigo asked.

"Quite possibly, but I have no way of knowing right now- this is the first time I've ever seen anything like this. I'm not even certain we've had a Shinigami with an energy-absorbing Zanpakuto on which to base our expectations or observations. After Kurosaki, Arisawa might just be the Spirit World's scientific discovery of the century!"

Tatsuki frowned, "He's waaay too excited about this. My spirit form is _defective_ and _he's_ excited."

However, Ichigo tried to remain focused, "Okay, so you need to do more research. Fine. But what do we do for Tatsuki in the meantime? She's still essentially _bleeding_ off her spirit energy."

"Right. Um, that's where it gets tricky…" Hanataro added quietly.

"Oh, I don't like the sound of that," Tatsuki groaned.

"Arisawa will likely need infusions of reiatsu at regular intervals to avoid the dissipation of her soul. We'll need some volunteers…"

Mizuiro looked worried, "Uh, is this where I come in?" He still appeared weak from their last experiment.

Hanataro shook his head, "I'm afraid not, Kojima-san. As I said before, Arisawa has a significantly higher level of reiatsu than you or Asano-san- the risk to your soul from a prolonged transfer would be too great. Humans with stronger reiatsu would be better suited-"

"Oh, me! Me!" Orihime interjected, "Can I do it? Do I have enough energy for Tats-chan?"

Hanataro nodded, "Orihime, with your unique abilities you and Sado have several hundred times the reiatsu of normal humans. It's an extraordinary amount, certainly more than enough at this stage. And based on previous experience we know energy transfers work between you two."

Chad offered, "If I have enough spirit energy then I would also like to help Arisawa."

Ishida cleared his throat, "And I will offer my services as well. I am certain I have adequate levels of reiatsu to be of help; we've also already had a successful transfer of energy between us… of sorts," he glanced briefly at Tatsuki who blinked in surprise at him. "Also I would like to assist with your research for a solution to her condition. My Quincy knowledge and abilities may be of help to you."

Hanataro agreed, "Yes, thank you, Ishida-san. You and Yasutora-san would both be acceptable candidates. The three of you all might take turns donating spirit energy to Arisawa until we can figure something out."

No one seemed to notice that Ichigo had been unusually quiet during the last few minutes, except Tatsuki. She watched him as he moved with purpose towards Hanataro, one of his more stern looks set on his face. That look made her nervous, especially given the current subject. When she shot him a discrete questioning look of her own his features softened for a split second- just long enough for him to give her a quick wink.

'_Wait, what?'_

In a flash it was gone and he was putting a firm hand on Hanataro's shoulder, "Guys, I appreciate what you're all trying to do here, but let's be honest. We all know that it's my fault that Tatsuki's in this situation- why all of you are in this situation- in the first place. It's time I started taking responsibility for at least some of it. And we all know that with my levels of spirit energy, it's a no-brainer."

The Shinigami medic turned to him in surprise, "Ichigo, you're saying-"

"I'm saying that from here on out _I'll_ be the one to handle Tatsuki's energy needs."

* * *

A/N: The irony is that even though I'd planned the scene months ago, I was working on my ACLS recertification (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) when I finally got to work on the beginning of this chapter. So who was right about Tatsuki's situation? If you thought that was fun, just wait- it gets better! Working on the next chapters right away!

For those of you who have left reviews- thank you so much! I love reading the notes you guys leave me- keep 'em coming. And to those of you who have read and marked this for an alert or a favorite- y'all are okay, too! :-p


	6. Wrinkle

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Oops! Tardy again, sorry guys. I took a working vacay to Las Vegas (woohoo!) and set this on the backburner for a bit. I'll try and keep future updates more timely. Excellent reviews for the previous chapter- thanks so much! Special shout out to EveryEye who caught the change in Tatsuki's syntax after touching Keigo (good job!). Lots of speculation after the reveal of Tatsuki's 'condition'- I appreciate your questions and hope they will be answered as more is revealed through the story (sorry, no spoilers). So please enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 6: Wrinkle

"_I'm saying that from here on out I'll be the one to handle Tatsuki's energy needs."_

Ichigo could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on him, especially Tatsuki's. He looked over at her startled gaze and could practically hear her voice in his head,_ 'What the hell are you thinking?'_ He fought his childhood reflex to flinch under that look and held her gaze until the huddle of her eyebrows smoothed and the corners of her frown softened and lifted.

'_Please, Tats, just let me do this for you.'_

It had been too much. The fear and helplessness he'd seen in her after she'd drained Keigo's spirit energy had nearly undone him- it was the same look she'd had last night while she was falling. _Last night._ Last night he'd saved her life, and now that he finally had a firmer grip on his feelings for her, knew that he needed to do this, too. He wanted to do this, wanted her to know that she was important enough to him that he would do whatever it took to keep her alive. She needn't know fear ever again.

As he made this mental promise to her he attempted to squash certain ulterior motives lingering at the edges of his mind. It had nothing to do with having an excuse to spend more time with her, or that fulfilling such an obligation practically _required_ him to touch her; while certainly polite enough, it was no secret that Tatsuki was quite particular about her personal space. She would hardly be able to duck and dodge from him under such circumstances. It was as if this odd development had been fated for them.

That is until Hanataro cleared his throat loudly, "Um, Ichigo, I'm afraid it's not that simple. Unfortunately there are other factors to consider…"

He should have known- wasn't there _always_ a wrinkle? He didn't try to hide the frustration in his voice, "And what factors would those be, Hanataro? You said yourself the best option would be a human with high levels of reiatsu. The way I see it, Tatsuki needs to get energy from someone with a lot to spare; not to brag or anything, but I can generate more spirit energy than anyone in this room. So what's the problem?"

The young medic seemed for once to be at a loss for words, "Well… the problem comes more from _how much_ energy Arisawa should be exposed to…" Met with an instant scowl he tried again, "Since she has to absorb it through touch, the energy must be stable, constant. It has to be compatible- like a blood transfusion in your world. Spirit energy is usually regenerated spontaneously but I imagine it could be dangerous for the donor. From what I can tell so far the other humans in your group, like Inoue and Ishida, have high yet stable levels of reiatsu. I'm guessing that Yasutora's will be the same. But, well… Ichigo, yours is more…"

The substitute Shinigami crossed his arms firmly, "Mine is what? Erratic? That's only when I'm fighting! I have control over my energy."

"Actually, you don't," Uryu interjected. When met with Ichigo's harsh glare he offered an explanation. "Ichigo, you probably don't realize it but your spirit energy fluctuates constantly, especially with your emotions. As a Shinigami you have gained an exorbitant amount and you wield it masterfully in battle; however, the fact remains that with such high levels you have yet to gain full control of your spirit energy when not fighting."

The Quincy's words were difficult for Ichigo to hear, especially when he added his next point, "Ichigo, if what Hanataro is saying about Arisawa is true, then she may not be able to handle such high and fluctuating levels of reiatsu. He's saying that you could harm her."

Ichigo shook his head adamantly, "I would never do that! I would never hurt her!" When he looked over at Tatsuki he could sense her trepidation. He implored, "Tatsuki, I can control it. It won't be a problem."

Hanataro meekly added, "Ichigo, that's not all…" When he turned to the medic with a 'what now?' look, the man replied, "In the physical world you may be human, but in the Spirit World you're a Shinigami. And like it or not, there are rules about encountering new threats like this. I'm afraid that until we know more, you would be forbidden from coming into contact with Arisa-"

"New threats?" Ichigo yelled incredulously, "She's not a _threat_, she's my _friend_! And I'm the one that got her into this mess! And you're gonna tell me that I can't help her? That I can't even try? Because I'm a Soul Reaper? This is bullshit!"

Orihime tried to offer some comfort, "Ichigo, it's okay- we'll make sure Tatsuki is alright."

"That's not the point, Orihime," he muttered sullenly.

"Then what is?" asked Uryu flatly. This startled Ichigo, who narrowed guarded eyes at the Quincy. "Arisawa's needs will be met and her safety will be ensured. What other considerations must we weigh at this juncture?"

Ichigo bit off his automatic response because he realized just in time that it would have made him sound childish. Even Sado chimed in to offer encouraging words, "We know you want to help her, Ichigo, but Tatsuki is our friend, too. Trust us to take care of her- it's the least we can do."

"I love how everyone is talking about me like I'm not even here," Tatsuki muttered. "Don't I get a say in any of this? 'Cause I've got a _brilliant_ idea- why don't I just go home?"

"But Tats-chan, you can't!" Orihime said. "Aizen and his Arrancar will be able to find you if you go back! We brought you here for a reason."

"I know, 'Hime, but I can't stay like this! I'm some kind of energy-sucking freak! I'd rather take my chances in the human world. Now that I know I'm a target I can be better prepared; I'll just stay at Crazy Urahara's place until I can come up with something better."

But Hanataro was shaking his head, "I'm afraid that's not a viable option either, Arisawa-san, at least not yet. You can't just go back through the portal- with your spirit energy draining the way it is, we don't know what the Senkaimon will do to you. In trying to move you between worlds… it could kill you. We need to speak with Urahara and run more tests before we even _think_ of sending you back through."

At this news Tatsuki flopped backwards onto the table, covering her face with her hands, "Ugh! This is a fucking nightmare!"

"I know this is frustrating for you, Arisawa. However, I believe that though it will be challenging, your condition will be manageable. With regular infusions of spirit energy from Inoue, Ishida and Yasutora we can maintain your soul until a solution can be found."

"Don't worry, Tatsuki! We'll be right here whenever you need us!" Orihime chirped.

"And I'll be sitting on my ass, twiddling my thumbs," Ichigo muttered, leaning against Mizuiro's chair.

His friend looked up at him from his seat, seemingly having recovered a little, "Well don't look at me. I've got a very important job…" When Ichigo raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him, Mizuiro nodded his head towards their still-unconscious friend. "Gotta fill in Keigo when he wakes up _and_ make sure he keeps his hands to himself; that's gonna be a full-time job."

Ichigo chuckled despite himself, mood instantly lifted, even if only a little. He glanced over at Tatsuki, still sprawled lazily on the table only now she'd propped her hands beneath her head. She was staring vacantly up at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.

He wondered just how dark those thoughts must be- for a girl spirited into a strange world under frightening circumstances, whose only special ability had consisted of being able to sense and see horrifying monsters against which she had no defense. And now, when she was finally supposed to be safe she was wounded again- her soul was slipping away with each passing breath. It would have driven a weaker person insane. And he couldn't help her.

_Wrong._ He couldn't _touch_ her. But he could keep watch over her, could keep her safe. He could _protect_ her. After everything that happened, it was the least he could do. Setting aside his more personal motives, the young Soul Reaper once again silently vowed, _'I swear no harm will come to you, Tatsuki. Just hang in there- I'll find a way to fix this.'_

* * *

_A couple of hours later…_

Orihime was trying very hard to stifle a yawn, but it was tugging at the edge of her chin. She didn't want her chin to move because then her jaw would open, her lips would part and she'd be unable to suppress that distinctive yawn-noise she always made. She didn't want to yawn in front of Tatsuki- not when she was holding her best friend's hand…

Not when she was giving her her reiatsu; Tatsuki would get the wrong idea. _'Maybe I could hum… Tats-chan would be bothered by me humming, but she'd be more bothered by me yawning, wouldn't she?'_ Before she'd properly reasoned through it, though, Orihime started humming the theme song from her favorite game show.

Tatsuki raised an eyebrow at her across the kitchen table, "You bored already?"

Startled, Orihime quickly realized what she'd done. "No! I was just thinking about how that song would sound much better if they played it on steel drums! I like the sound of steel drums- they always remind me of pineapples and mangoes and sun tan lotion."

She watched Tatsuki scrunch her eyes in confusion, "That's an unusual association, 'Hime." However, instead of commenting further, her gaze simply drifted over to a corner somewhere and she went quiet again.

Orihime noticed that Tatsuki hadn't said much since they'd discovered her 'condition'. The young tomboy was usually cool and relaxed but this seemed different to Orihime. _'It bothers her to be like this, even though we don't yet know what it is. She seems sad.'_

"Tatsuki, can I ask you a question?"

This seemed to snap the girl out of her fog. However, before she could speak, Hanataro made his way back into the kitchen towards the girls, "Well, ladies… how's it going so far?" the medic inquired.

Orihime smiled politely, "Doing fine, Yamada-san." She glanced over to Tatsuki who shrugged noncommittally.

"Yeah, all good here," Tatsuki replied blandly.

"How long has it been?" Hanataro asked.

"Lemme check…" Tatsuki replied, peering at the face of the oversized digital wristwatch lent to her by Sado. "Looks like 7 minutes, 37 seconds."

"Excellent! And do you feel a change in your energy level, Arisawa?"

"Now that I have a better idea of what I'm looking for, yeah- I feel a difference," Tatsuki said.

Hanataro prodded, "Do you feel the infusion at the skin or just an increased level of energy?"

Tatsuki bit the corner of her lower lip, "Both, I guess. I would almost swear I can feel it moving through my veins. And I can feel my strength increasing."

"Good! Hold on to that feeling- you'll need to keep a diary of all of your transfers as we discussed. In addition to the lengths and times, you'll need to make note of any differences between your transfers that you might notice, no matter how subtle."

"Right, I gotcha. Just be warned that I doodle- don't be surprised to find weird drawings in the margins," she mentioned, fingering the small notebook Hanataro had given her.

"Not a problem! Well, ladies, I have to step out again and check on Asano-san- now that he's awake I want to check him at regular intervals until he's regained more of his strength; I'll be back in another ten minutes. Keep recording Arisawa's levels at every three minute mark. Any questions before I leave?"

Tatsuki nodded, "Yeah, actually. Orihime's been trying not to yawn- is that a bad sign?" At the mention of it Orihime paled guiltily, _'How did she know?'_

The medic postulated, "It might be her reaction to a decrease in her spirit energy, which at this point still wouldn't be a very great deal. We'll just have to see- I doubt that it's anything serious." He looked to Orihime, "How do you feel?"

She quickly replied, "Fine! I don't know why I'm yawning, but I feel fine. That's weird."

He simply chuckled, "With you guys it doesn't surprise me. I'll be back soon, girls."

She watched him walk out the door, and then settled her gaze on Tatsuki who seemed to have drifted off in thought again while staring at the far wall. She still looked sad, or perhaps it was more thoughtful. In any case, her voice breaking the silence startled Orihime, "So are you gonna ask me that question you wanted to?"

'_Oh, I forgot about that…'_ She'd thought about asking what the transfer felt like- if perhaps it hurt- but now that seemed like a stupid question and she didn't like burdening her friends with stupid questions. So she asked about something else that was on her mind, "Tats-chan, is everything okay with you and Ichigo?"

Tatsuki answered only after a thoughtful appraisal of her friend, "Yeah, we're alright." When her response didn't give the intended reassurance, she clarified, "Ichigo and I go way back. I think he actually thought that I'd stay in the dark about all of you- all of _this_- forever; now that I'm along for the ride I don't think he knows how to handle it yet. He's just dragging his feet on the catch-up."

Orihime had her doubts, "I don't know. You don't think there might be more to it than that?" Even Orihime had noticed the amount of attention paid to the tomboy by their resident substitute Soul Reaper.

Tatsuki shrugged a shoulder, "Who knows? We're not little kids anymore- things are different now that we're older, and now that he's gone all super-saiyan on us." Checking the watch, she ran the Reiatsu detector again and dutifully recorded the results.

"Are you two fighting?" the redhead asked in a cautious whisper.

Her friend blinked in surprise, "What? Why in the world would you think we were fighting? No, 'Hime, he's getting on my nerves a little, that's all."

"But you two were so scary when you showed up at the Shoten last night! Yelling at each other, and then you were screaming. I thought… I've just never seen you two quite like that before…" she admitted.

Tatsuki gave a guilty smile, "Oh, 'Hime, that's just… how we are. We just don't usually get into it like that in front of other people. And at the time I'll admit I was pretty scared and frustrated- he'd finally gotten around to apologizing for keeping me in the dark about everything… kinda…" then she chuckled, "Actually, I don't think he actually said he was sorry! Hm, well whatever. Point is we'd just aired out a lot of our, um, issues… and yeah, well…"

Orihime watched as her friend suddenly grew quiet, her cheeks pinking up as if she was recalling something sensitive and private. It was a rare sight from the typically stoic girl, but the redhead knew not to press it. Instead she asked, "What about today?"

Tatsuki came around, rolling her eyes, "Nothing special, just butting heads again. Since he's become a Shinigami, I'm finding that Ichigo has taken his sense of duty and responsibility to new fanatical levels. Everywhere I look, he's there! Like I'm gonna fall apart at any moment. He's acting like I can't take care of myself- it's getting pretty annoying."

"I don't think you should hold that against him- this has been a pretty scary adventure so far. He can't help but want to protect people- that's just how he is."

Tatsuki nodded in agreement, "That may be true but he better settle down soon or else I'll do it for him," she smirked slyly balling her free fist. But then just as suddenly she frowned, "Wait, I can't even hit him! This reiatsu thing really sucks…" Orihime couldn't help but giggle as her friend slouched, pouting, "He better enjoy this temporary reprieve."

Orihime looked down at their still-joined hands and smiled to herself. She could tell that Tatsuki was feeling better and was glad to be able to help her friend this way. She also knew that Tatsuki was probably wrong about Ichigo- he probably did mind that their mutual best friend couldn't hit him; in Orihime's experience he'd never really minded the girl's blows that much.

To Orihime it was fairly evident that Ichigo had some pretty substantial feelings towards Tatsuki, and she wondered in what direction they truly leaned- were they more platonic as for a childhood friend or were they of a more intimate nature? Was Tatsuki downplaying those feelings or was she really that naïve about their existence?

After a couple of minutes of careful thought, the young girl decided that such details were ultimately unimportant so long as their friend was safe. Still, there was no harm in keeping an eye open. It seemed as though they'd just have to wait and see…

* * *

_Later that evening…_

When Rukia and Lt. Abarai returned to the inn they did so with some very important guests. Upon word of their arrival everyone had amassed in the inn's common area- the largest and most well-furnished room available. While most of the group took seats or stood at the periphery of the room, Tatsuki, Mizuiro and Keigo found themselves seated on one of a pair of small facing sofas in the room's center. Hanataro stood to their right as though he were their ambassador, while Rukia and the Lieutenant each flanked the opposite sofa like posted guards.

Without being directly told, Tatsuki could surmise the importance of their visitors just from their carriage. Two strikingly beautiful women, they couldn't have presented as more opposite in their appearances. The first woman was porcelain-pale and wore a long white robe over her Shinigami garb, undoubtedly indicating her high stature or rank. Her extraordinarily long black hair was worn in a large braid down her front as opposed to down her back. She had an ethereally calm face and kind maternal eyes. The other woman was dressed far less formally in a fitted, brightly colored cropped jacket, yet commanded just as much unspoken respect. Also stunning in her own right, she had smooth dark skin, a long high purple ponytail and piercing golden-yellow eyes.

The two women silently took seats on the sofa opposite the teens. The room felt shabby and cheap and Tatsuki felt woefully underdressed in their presence. She watched as the women ducked their heads together and whispered amongst themselves before addressing the rest of the party. After several minutes the woman in white softly spoke,

"Greetings Ryoka travelers. I am Unohana Retsu, Captain of the 4th Division of the Gotei 13. I come to you on behalf of the Shinigami Council in response to the request for asylum by Urahara Kisuke on behalf of the human minors Asano Keigo, Kojima Mizuiro and Arisawa Tatsuki." She made eye contact with each of them as she said their names and Tatsuki felt instantly eased by the woman's serene demeanor and gentle smile.

Captain Unohana continued, "According to reports these three young humans were recently discovered to have spirit awareness and enhanced spirit energy due to a proximity to human substitute Shinigami Kurosake Ichigo, similar to the cases of Inoue Orihime and Yasutora Sado. It is also understood that last night you three were attacked by several Arrancar sent from Hueco Mundo with the intent of abduction. Is this correct?"

Both Keigo and Mizuiro looked nervously at Tatsuki, who realized she had just been appointed their spokesperson. The young girl nodded formally, "Yes, ma'am." Her eyes drifted over to the dark woman who had yet to utter a word to them, yet watched them all with a scrutinizing curiosity. Tatsuki looked back to the woman in white addressing them.

"After this thwarted abduction in the human world former Captain Urahara contends that the dark forces of Hueco Mundo hold special interest in you three; he believes the safest place for you would be in Soul Society under the protection of the Gotei 13. A special session was convened at this request with former Captain Shihoin Yoruichi acting as your representative and advocate," at this the woman gestured to the dark woman seated next to her, who gave the slightest hint of a conniving smirk.

Tatsuki's eyes widened. Keigo was a bit slow on the uptake but Mizuiro balked in disbelief, "Y-Yoruichi? You're Yoruichi?~!"

Keigo stared blankly at his friend, "What, you mean the cat?" Then he looked over at the purple-haired woman who returned a feline grin, "But she's… I mean, he was… and _you're_… Holy crap!" his eyes trailed up and down her human form as he sputtered.

Tatsuki fought the urge to reach around Mizuiro to hit him, instead seething a barely audible "Keigo. Shut. Up." through clenched teeth. Somewhere off to the side she swore she heard Ichigo smack himself in the head.

Yoruichi simply rolled her eyes while Unohana smiled jovially. "As your advocate, she has made a strong case for bringing you all under the protection of the Gotei 13. And of course there are certain debts for Kurosaki-san's service that the Council takes into consideration. The Council has therefore extended the service of protection and shelter to Asano Keigo and Kojima Mizuiro, who may enter Seireitei and shall be made welcome among our soldiers and officers."

Noting the absence of her name, Tatsuki's heart dropped. Deep down she realized she'd known- Hanataro had practically spelled it out during his research gathering. Still, knowing that she'd traveled so far only have the last and largest door slammed in her face was disheartening.

As predicted, Captain Unohana finally confirmed her assertions, "As to the matter of the third human seeking asylum, Arisawa Tatsuki, it is with regret that the Council must conditionally deny her request at this time. Due to recent and unforeseen developments it seems Miss Arisawa has acquired a unique condition that unfortunately poses potential harm to all members of the Gotei 13. The Council has deemed the danger of her presence within the walls of Seireitei to be too great given the information presented at this time."

Tatsuki couldn't quite meet the women's eyes as she listened to the news, so she sat as still as she could manage, eyes forwards towards nothing as she balled her fists in her lap. She had no idea what any of the others were doing.

Captain Unohana wasn't finished. "Miss Arisawa, you must understand that the decision of the Council denies your admittance into Seireitei, but it also limits your interactions with its members and officers. I'm sorry but this means you are forbidden from having physical contact with any Shinigami as well; all Shinigami are forbidden from touching you or giving you spirit energy. Do you understand?"

Tatsuki swallowed hard before looking up at Unohana. When she finally did, a kind and sympathetic smile was waiting for her, and she found she couldn't really be mad at this woman even though she wanted to be. She fleetingly wondered if perhaps that was the woman's Shinigami power. "I… yes, ma'am, I understand." She glanced over to Yoruichi, whose lips were pursed in a tight frown. Only then did Tatsuki realize that her golden gaze was directed at someone else.

Ichigo, who had been on what Tatsuki knew to be his best behavior through the meeting (she guessed he'd been leaning stiffly against the wall making faces but the fact that he hadn't uttered a peep amazed her), must have finally hit his breaking point. She heard his muttered declaration of "This is bullshit…" all too clearly. She watched Unohana sigh as Yoruichi shot the teen a death glare.

She really should have seen it coming, right?

Captain Unohana was about to speak, but Yoruichi interjected, "What did you think was going to happen, Ichigo? Arisawa _absorbs_ spirit energy- you knew the Council wasn't just going to ignore that fact. At least we got Asano and Kojima in. We have to take what we can get."

Ichigo pushed himself off the wall, "But this is stupid! Tatsuki's not going to _attack_ the Soul Reapers! We've already figured out how to replace her spirit energy- she doesn't need Seireitei's energy, just its walls and protection! It's the whole reason we're here in the first place!"

Captain Unohana maintained her serene composure, "Your aggressive defense of your friend is admirable, Kurosaki-san, however it is moot. The decision has already been made, I am simply the messenger. The full scope of Arisawa's condition is not yet known; the Council would be foolish to openly invite such a danger into the Gotei 13 at this time. You should know that Yoruichi-san has requested a review: this will keep the matter open and allow for time to learn more about Arisawa's condition and to find an alternate solution. All is not lost."

Tatsuki looked over her shoulder to watch Ichigo cross his arms in frustration, "I still don't see how the Council can knowingly turn its back on her when they know Aizen wants her. You'd think they'd be more interested in thwarting that maniac."

Yoruichi answered, "They aren't denying that all three of them need protection. Rukia and Renji volunteered to return here to Shiba Inn and the Council is letting us keep them, for now..." The dark woman shot him a knowing look, "They're _allowing_ you to remain as well, Ichigo, since they knew you'd also want to stay."

Ichigo looked as though he would explode, "_ALLOW ME_? I don't take orders from the Council! I may be a Soul Reaper but I'm not part of their little organization! The hell with that!"

Unohana patiently explained, "Kurosaki-san, we've grown to look upon you as an 'independent contractor' of sorts. However, the Council was very clear on this point- while you are undoubtedly human, in this world you are a Shinigami, wearing the uniform and wielding a Zanpakuto. This places you under the jurisdiction of the Gotei 13 and its governing Council. To go against them would make you a defector like Aizen and his followers. Would you really wish to forfeit the support of the entire Gotei 13 over such a small matter?"

Tatsuki watched him clench his jaw and knew he was mentally weighing the odds. She interjected, "Ichigo, I don't want to go! Not if I have to walk around the place with a scarlet letter on my chest like some leper. I'll stay here. I'm still safer here with all of you than I am anywhere else."

She noticed that as he listened to her his eyes softened and some of the tension ebbed from his body. She offered him a crooked half-smile and he answered with a slight nod.

Unohana added, "Remember that Asano-san and Kojima-san have still been granted asylum. You two may accompany me back to Seireitei this evening if you are ready. Any of the rest of your party may also accompany us, save for Arisawa-san, as you have all been previously granted access."

Orihime and Chad nodded in acknowledgement as Ishida spoke on their behalf, "Thank you, Unohana-taicho. The three of us will remain with Arisawa as we will be the ones providing her with supplemental energy. We appreciate your invitation and thank both you and the Council for offering protection for our other comrades." He bowed low and Unohana smiled graciously in response.

Tatsuki noticed that Keigo and Mizuiro were elbowing each other and muttering amongst themselves. She was about to shush them when Mizuiro spoke up, "Um, Captain Unohana? Keigo and I have been thinking about it and… well… we want to stay here with Tatsuki, too. We wouldn't feel right leaving her behind."

Tatsuki blinked in shock, then frowned at them, "Are you two _nuts_? You better go with the lady before she changes her mind!"

However Keigo shook his head, "I'm not gonna offer you a hand any time soon, but we sure as hell aren't just gonna run off to this Seireitei place without you. Once they figure out how to fix your spirit energy then we'll all go together. But in the meantime, no one's breakin' up these Musketeers."

Tatsuki looked back to Mizuiro who nodded, then over to Orihime, Chad and Uryu who all gave acknowledging signs. Her friends were going to stick by her.

Captain Unohana smiled at the display of camaraderie, "We can respect such a position. Yoruichi-san's review request will provide for added time to reveal more of young Arisawa-san's condition. Medical Officer Yamada has already made admirable progress thus far, however it is protocol to turn such investigations over to our Research Division, Squad 12. An alternate location must be established, since Captain Kurotsuchi will undoubtedly wish to conduct further tests-"

"No!" Ichigo and Uryu shouted in unison, shocking the three. Noting the tight clench of the quieter man's jaw, Tatsuki figured this was the angriest she'd ever actually seen the bespeckled teen and that fact alone worried her.

Hanataro finally spoke up, "But guys, he's the Captain of the 12th Division- research of such matters is his specialty."

Ichigo crossed his arms defiantly, "I don't give a damn what his specialty is. He's a monster and I don't trust him. He's not coming anywhere near Tatsuki if we have anything to say about it!"

Captain Unohana seemed unfazed, "Well, perhaps other arrangements can be made… There are certainly many other highly qualified officers within that division…" When this seemed to appease them she continued, "In any case, the Council will reconvene in a week's time for the review, where a formal decision for Arisawa will be made- she is allowed to have advocates represent her but she will not be allowed to be present for obvious reasons."

"Don't worry, Arisawa," Yoruichi said, "By that time we'll have all the information we need to get you asylum. And Ichigo will attend as well- the Council needs to be reminded of their debt to him." Ichigo nodded confidently in response.

Unohana rose from her seat, "If there are no more questions I will take my leave of you. Good luck, Ryoka travelers, and especially to you, Arisawa-san- may you find the answers that you seek." After deep bows in her direction she was gone. Yoruichi stayed behind to talk to Hanataro.

"Well, I think that went as well as could be expected," Keigo uttered, "though I still had a question for Yoruichi-san…" Hearing her name, the dark woman turned her attention to the boy even as Mizuiro groaned. "What? I just wanted to know where all of her fur went?"

* * *

A/N: Next chapter- Tatsuki and Ichigo both get some of the answers they've been looking for. Please review and I'll see you all at the next chapter! ^_^


	7. Paradox

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Another chapter raring to go! Seems I keep apologizing for the delay in updating these- I'd intended to try and get new chapters up every 3 weeks or so but it seems to be trending closer to between 4 and 5. It's my own fault; even though I have a huge chunk of this story outlined I find the individual chapters more tricky to flesh out, particularly because I want to post work that people don't just want to speed through but want to take their time with and come back to read over and over. So I appreciate the patience of everyone sticking with this story- hope it lives up to expectations!

* * *

Chapter 7: Paradox

_The next day at Shiba Inn (the 3__rd__ day)…_

In the morning Orihime, Sado and Uryu gathered with Hanataro and Tatsuki to review the regimen planned by the medic for her. Hanataro had estimated that Tatsuki would require at least three to four charges per day. Tatsuki thought that would be more frequent than necessary however Hanataro insisted she not drop below a certain minimum threshold. He showed the other three how to use the spirit energy detector and went over the 'charging protocol'- only one pre-authorized human donor per session, one-on-one, hand to hand, without any other skin to skin contact. Time of day, subject and duration of charge were to be recorded for each session for research purposes. Tatsuki found the whole thing embarrassing, humiliating, and fairly redundant as they'd already each given her energy the day before without any sort of 'protocol.' Of course, she wisely kept her opinion to herself.

Hanataro also insisted on rotating the donors after each session- Orihime, then Sado and then Uryu; handing off in this fashion would theoretically allow a donor time to regenerate the spirit energy given to Tatsuki before they needed to donate again. It seemed unnecessary- after yesterday the three 'donors' seemed to barely notice the reiatsu given to her and could have probably taken several turns in a row; Hanataro insisted, however, that this was a preferred method for his research, at least until his replacement could be established.

Tatsuki wasn't fond of the idea of someone else stepping in to _study_ her. Not only did she not mind Hanataro (he might have been talkative, but at least he was nice and remained open to her suggestions), but after witnessing the reactions of Ichigo and Ishida to the mere mention of the Research Division Captain last night she was in no hurry to meet anyone associated with such a man. No one who got a reaction like that out of _those_ guys was getting within ten meters of her; the insinuation was uncomfortable at best and gruesome at worst.

She'd meant to ask Ichigo more about this man when she suddenly noticed his absence- when she thought about it she hadn't seen him since the meeting with Captain Unohana the night before. It seemed rather odd since he'd been incessantly hovering ever since he'd saved her and brought her to the Shoten, well before they'd even discovered that something was wrong with her. The attention had been stifling even in the spirit world where he couldn't technically touch her, and so she was surprised to find that his sudden absence troubled her some. Wasn't some space just what she'd wanted? Perhaps she'd finally started getting used to the ever-present protective version of him- 'Action-Figure Ichigo, hero edition'. Maybe she didn't mind the idea that perhaps he cared more about her than thwarting some bad guys she'd never even met. In any case, after such a realization she guessed she'd have to figure out just what it was she really wanted from him.

Luckily, Tatsuki had more to keep her mind busy than ruminating over Ichigo's whereabouts; it was near the end of her charge with Sado that afternoon when she finally met the head of the Shiba household. She and the giant teen had been parked at the kitchen table once again, holding hands for their energy transfer as they compared notes on their favorite mixed martial arts fighters; for some reason, with Sado the transfers were less awkward than she would have guessed. Tatsuki had been leaning back in the chair with her feet up on the table when an odd sensation from behind raised the hairs on her neck. Before she could right herself a raspy yet unmistakably feminine voice commented, "So you're the little girl causing all of this trouble…"

Nearly falling backwards in her chair, Tatsuki had the presence of mind to lower her feet and sit up straight in order to meet someone of clear authority. Looking up, she found a tall woman dressed rather provocatively in cropped sleeveless low-rise all-white clothing standing over her. The woman also wore a white kerchief on her head with long spiky black hair jutting out as well as a rakish smile directed at the young travelers.

Sado hastily made formal introductions, "Tatsuki, this is Shiba Kukaku, Ganju's sister and owner of this Inn. Shiba-san, this is Arisawa Tatsuki, a friend of ours from Karakura. We are grateful for your family's help in sheltering her and our other friends in this difficult time."

A bit out of sorts, Tatsuki stood up and was about to offer her free hand to shake when she realized two crucial things: 1) she wasn't supposed to touch anyone due to her condition, and 2) the woman was missing the arm she'd intended to shake anyway.

_Um… Blank. Great. Uh… bow, stupid._ And the young girl gave a deep formal bow to make up for the several seconds of preceding awkwardness.

The woman just laughed, "A friend of yours, huh? I'm guessing she's a friend of Ichigo's if she's causing such a ruckus for the Gotei 13. Anyone within spitting distance of that kid ends up generating mountains of paperwork for those smartasses."

Tatsuki blinked in surprise, "Um, sorry…"

"What? No, don't apologize! We were due for a little excitement around here." Then she noticed the two's hand hold, "Ganju and Yoruichi explained your unique _'condition'_. So this is the solution you've come up with to keep yourself alive? I must say I've never seen anything quite like it."

Tatsuki couldn't help sighing hopelessly, "Nobody has, at least not in any way that's helpful. But so far it's working."

Kukaku eyed her critically, "Don't be discouraged, young one. I hear you're a fighter- don't let that spirit escape you… so to speak. You and your friends are welcome in our home for as long as you wish to stay."

Tatsuki gave a deep genuine bow again, "Thank you, Shiba-san. Your generosity is truly appreciated. I don't know what we'd do without the help of your family."

The older woman chuckled, "We're not usually so hospitable. However, since I'm still in such an unusually generous mood there's one more suggestion I'd like to make for you, young lady…" Tatsuki's eyebrows huddled as the woman glanced down disapprovingly at her ill-fitting pants under Ichigo's bulky hoodie, "How would you feel about a more appropriate change of clothes?"

* * *

_Later that evening…_

He'd forgotten just how stubborn she could be.

From the first moment he'd met Tatsuki, Ichigo had known she was a warrior, and warriors had their pride. Perhaps it had been the fear driving him- the fear that came with the realization that he'd almost lost her, to death- or worse- to Aizen and the darkness of Hueco Mundo. Perhaps he'd been distracted by that moment on the rooftop, the hint of something surprisingly intense and personal with one of the most amazing girls he'd ever known. For whatever reason, from the time he'd carried Tatsuki through the Shoten's doors he'd done the exact _wrong_ thing- he'd smothered her, questioning her strength.

It didn't matter that she didn't truly understand how gruesome her fate had almost been, her abduction and now her reiatsu problems had left her nervous and ill-tempered. He saw now that his continuous hovering, however well-intentioned, was instead serving as a constant reminder of her own vulnerability. Right now she didn't need that. Right now she needed a friend, and the friend of a warrior either bolstered them up or got out of their way.

So he took the cue and started keeping his distance. Never gone, just out of sight. She was a brilliant paradox- smothering Tatsuki had served to push her away, he only hoped that giving her some distance might allow his first friend to find her way back to him…

…And so he was only mildly surprised when she managed to find him alone late in the evening.

Ichigo was sitting on the inn's back porch gazing out over the garden in silent thought when he heard the back door creak open. After only a couple of light footfalls on the deck boards he knew it was her, however he waited for her to speak first.

"Haven't seen much of you lately."

He allowed himself a concealed smirk before casually answering her, "I figured you needed your space. You're dealing with a lot; thought it might be best if I just backed off a bit."

"Back off, maybe. Not disappear," Tatsuki replied coolly, stepping out of the shadows. It was then that he noticed her clothing- a long-sleeved top over a loose tank and long pants, all in a light gray airy material that swayed as she walked. It was a simple yet feminine look that covered nearly all of her exposed skin from the neck down. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed he was staring.

Ichigo raised his chin in reply, "I like your outfit."

From her expression he guessed she was blushing. She shrugged one shoulder, "Kukaku-san was very generous; she found something light enough for this heat but with enough skin coverage to avoid another 'Keigo' incident. Look, she even found matching gloves," she said holding up her hands for inspection.

"Kinda warm for gloves but it's a keen idea. Like a comic book." When she rolled her eyes he deftly changed the subject, "I didn't disappear. Though I'll admit I didn't think I would run into anyone else out here; were you looking for me?" He gestured to the other end of his bench and she took a seat.

"Just seeing if you were still around," Tatsuki answered evasively. Her eyes tracked over to the moonlit garden and he caught an eyeful of a surprisingly stunning profile. It hadn't been his imagination; he really was seeing her in a different light.

"I've been around," he offered quietly. "Why, is there something you need?" He hoped he didn't sound too eager.

"Yes. Answers," and she turned an expectant gaze onto him. He saw it in her eyes- the anticipation of resistance- and knew she was readying herself for some stalling or protests from him.

However this time he was ready for her, his mind far clearer than it had been on the rooftop, "Alright. What do you want to know?"

A genuine flash of surprise lit her face before she narrowed challenging eyes at him, "…Everything."

Ichigo nodded thoughtfully, "Okay…" He took the moment to stare unabashedly at her, "…where should I begin?"

When she gave him a sly smile he knew she was unconsciously mirroring the one she'd earned from him, "Where else? At the beginning, of course."

"Alright…" And so he began at the beginning, trying not to leave out a single thing. They sat that way late into the night- him relating story after story as she listened intently, wide-eyed and amazed- a foot of bench between them as they steadily grew closer than they'd been in years.

* * *

After hearing from Orihime that Rukia still had not turned in for the night, Renji went on a hunt. When he finally found her it was in the most unlikely of places- sidled up against a window facing onto the back porch. He was about to ask her what the hell she was doing when he suddenly overheard soft feminine laughter followed by Ichigo's familiar voice.

Renji was no rocket scientist but it didn't take one to figure out what she was up to. In the loudest whisper he dared attempt he asked, "Rukia? Seriously? Are you _spying_ on those kids?"

Startled from her place of concealment the petite Shinigami whispered back, "No! Well… yes. But they've been out there for nearly _three hours_!"

He raised a tattooed eyebrow at her, "Have _you_ been standing there for three hours?" and he had to chuckle when she frowned back at him. To his relief she stepped away from the window so as not to be overheard by the two outside.

"Of course not, but someone has to keep an eye on them," Rukia replied.

Renji rolled his eyes, "Why? They're just a couple of kids. Who cares if they stay up past their bedtime?" He glanced through the window once again to confirm his assertion, "The girl knows not to touch him; it looks like they're just talking."

Rukia huffed in exasperation, "That's the problem, Renji. Ichigo's not just some kid, and right now he's telling that girl _everything_! After I specifically told him not to…"

Renji shrugged, "Yeah, but that was back in the human world when she was just a bystander and we were trying to restrict membership into the 'Pesky Teenage Sidekick' Society. Now that the chick's eyeball's deep into the Spirit World side of this I'd say things are a bit different. Maybe she deserves the scoop- in my mind becoming a reiatsu-absorbing target of the Arrancar kind of entitles her, right?"

Her frown directed at him deepened, "You're not helping, Renji. Ichigo is one of the most powerful allies we have against the evil forces threatening both our worlds, but at the end of the day he's still naïve enough to think with his heart instead of his head." Rukia pointed towards the window, "That girl could be the worst possible kind of distraction for him! Where the hell does that leave us?"

"Um… standing outside a window spying on a couple of teenagers?" Renji replied cheekily. When she looked about ready to punch him he backed off, "Hey listen! Come on! They're just talking, okay? What's the harm in the poor guy trying to salvage what sounded like a pretty decent childhood friendship before _you_ fell into his life…?"

Ready to bean him in the head Rukia suddenly froze mid-swing, blinking wide-eyed at him and the redhead wondered if maybe he'd crossed the line. But then she settled down crossing her arms in defeat. After one last lingering glance toward the window she walked away with hunched shoulders.

Just as she passed him though, Rukia circled around and poked him in the chest, "For the record, Renji, you _suck_ at pep talks." He could only laugh as she finally left for bed.

* * *

_The fourth day, in the afternoon…_

Even into the next day Tatsuki was still reeling from everything Ichigo had told her the night before. She thought she'd at least had some inkling as to what must have gone down so super-secretly behind her back for all those agonizing weeks, but the truth was she'd been totally clueless as to what her friends had gone through, especially Ichigo.

He had transformed into a phenomenon, an aberration of statistical anomalies that no one could have ever predicted- powerful, brave, loyal, selfless, creative, cunning- the perfect formula for a Spirit World superhero. Though there had been zero bravado or bragging on his part, she was wise enough to discern the amazing accomplishments that even he couldn't downplay with his humble recounts. What she'd seen the night of her abduction was only the barest of glimpses; she still wasn't certain she could completely fathom his level of power.

Now Tatsuki understood why he'd been so guarded with his secret, which was why she hadn't expected him to be so forthcoming last night; compared to the first night up on the rooftop it was as though he'd thought long and hard about it and was now eager to share that part of his life with her. She'd watched his body ease as the hours passed and more and more of the truth was unburdened, the wall between them finally all but disappearing. She finally had him back. Pity that now she didn't know what to do with him. 'Knucklehead-schoolmate Ichigo' she could handle, but what the hell was she supposed to do with 'Hot Uber-Shinigami Ichigo'?

_I can't believe I kissed him! He probably thinks I'm a spazz…_

Instantly embarrassed by her own musings, Tatsuki discretely glanced over at her current reiatsu donor, Ishida. Yes, all of this mental reeling was occurring while she was charging with the quiet Quincy, a term she now had a somewhat better handle on. Of her three donors he was the one whom she knew the least well, if at all. It had thus become an unspoken courtesy to offer as little interaction as possible, leaving her plenty of time for quiet reflection as they charged.

Today, however, he surprised her when he suddenly stated, "You've been talking to Ichigo."

She blinked at him before answering, "Yes… last night. He finally filled me in on the whole Soul Reaper thing, and about you guys… Pretty amazing stuff…" She bit her lip, not quite sure how to talk to him; something about his unnatural quietness made her self-conscious, "Why? Did he tell you we talked?"

"No but from his behavior last night I surmised as much." She desperately wanted to know what he meant by that but resisted the urge to probe. After a thoughtful pause he inquired, "Did he tell you I am a Quincy?"

She nodded slowly, "He mentioned it. I… I had no idea. Just knew you were somehow involved."

He gave a single nod back, "Hmph, against my better judgment. But I suppose it all worked out for the best. Looking back I honestly couldn't picture a different outcome. It's been… meaningful." Tatsuki watched as he faded into a moment of reflection and realized that even with the vast history shared with her, she couldn't know everything. When he snapped out of it he looked her directly in the eye, "Ichigo probably didn't tell you very much about the Quincy. If you ever want to know about them, I'll tell you their true history."

She recognized an olive branch when she saw one. She nodded again, "I'd like that."

She honestly hadn't known what to expect from Ishida- with their personalities at such polar odds she wasn't sure they'd ever find common ground. But the fact that the others got along so well with the stoic young man gave her hope for at least a stronger acquaintance. After this conversation she guessed he'd thought the same.

Pleased with even this small victory, she was again surprised when after a few more quiet minutes he glanced down at their joined hands. "Arisawa, may I ask a question?"

Surprised by the initiation of yet more conversation, Tatsuki glanced over at the spectacled teen, "Um, sure. Of course." Perhaps it was the bond of an exchange of spirit energy, but she could have sworn she sensed a hint of embarrassment and trepidation coming from the typically reserved young man.

Using his free hand, he pressed the bridge of his glasses further up his nose, "I couldn't help but notice… when you and Inoue hold hands you interlace your fingers…" When she looked down at their hands, locked in a loose handshake of sorts he added, "I imagine it increases the surface area of skin contact improving the transfer of spirit energy?"

A little confused by the direction of the conversation she hesitantly nodded, "It just seems to work better that way."

He nodded back and she wondered if perhaps it had only been an analytical inquiry. However, after a pause he pressed, "Why haven't you mentioned that before? To improve our transfer? Is there a reason you think it wouldn't work with us as well?"

She shrugged nervously, "I don't know… I guess I didn't want to impose on you, Ishida-san. I mean, I don't really… know you as well as the others… and… I don't know," she ducked her head a little. "I guess I didn't want to push your generosity…"

His eyebrows huddled together in confusion, "Push my generosity?"

She averted her eyes, "Never mind. Sorry."

She missed the telltale softening of his features as he regarded her. "Please don't apologize, Arisawa-san. I feel I need to clarify my intentions." He thought for a moment, searching for the right words, "While not well acquainted ourselves, I think we'd both agree that we have friends in common. Inoue, for example, is well known to us both… Do you happen to notice that when she gets nervous she tends to ramble?"

"Yeah, I guess she does," Tatsuki answered wondering where he was going with this particular stream of thought.

He continued, "I've noticed when she is nervous and rambling that she likes to talk about things that make her happy, things that she feels good about or that put her at ease."

Tatsuki was reminded of the humming. "Hmm, yeah I guess I noticed that, too."

"She likes to talk a lot about _you_, Arisawa." When Tatsuki raised a doubtful eyebrow at him, he added, "And it would seem I make her _quite nervous_."

"Oh…" Her eyes suddenly widened.

"…So I think it's fair to say that I know significantly more about you than you might think, or might even be comfortable with me knowing…" He watched the embarrassment color her cheeks a little. He hurried to add, "It's alright though! I don't think you should be troubled by that; Inoue is quite proud of you. In listening to her go on about you I feel as though I've gotten to know you just a little bit better- if only indirectly."

She slowly nodded, "I see… I think. Though Orihime tends to exaggerate sometimes; I can't imagine what she's told you."

He tilted his chin up thoughtfully, "I find Inoue to be refreshingly honest. Let's just say that if you are even half the woman she describes you to be, you are a very impressive person." For the last part he gave her the eye contact that such a statement demanded.

She could feel her cheeks heating up even more, "You don't have to say that, Ishida-san. Though I appreciate you trying to be nice to me…"

"On the contrary- I think you could be a great asset to the team, provided you chose to be such. I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that."

She looked over at him, both flattered and a bit embarrassed as she tried to gauge his sincerity. Seeing no signs of disingenuousness she slowly nodded her head at him, "You're alright, Uryu. A little stuffy… but alright." And she opened their joined hands just enough to interlace their fingers.

That earned a bewildered smile from him, "As are you, Arisa-… Tatsuki."

She sent him a sideways glance, "Does this mean we're going to be friends?"

"Despite my 'stuffiness' I think I would be amenable to such an arrangement," he replied in as even a tone as ever.

"Okay now you're just messing with me," she laughed.

They sat in a far more comfortable silence for another few minutes before she finally broke it again, "Hey Uryu, is _now_ a good time for you tell me more about the Quincy?"

"Hmm. I think now is a perfect time…"

* * *

_The fifth day, in the morning…_

Two days later and Ichigo was still elated over his evening spent with Tatsuki. It had gone better than he could have hoped- she had been patient, attentive and utterly fascinated, hanging on to his every word. He loved how though she tried to keep a calm demeanor her excitement shone in her eyes, especially when he recounted his battles or revealed a new facet of his powers. It was a secret source of pride that he'd been able to impress her like that. It had felt great to finally tell her everything and to finally answer her questions with complete openness; he was certain that he'd made a giant step closer to regaining her trust.

Now he couldn't wait to return to Shiba Inn. He'd requested a face-to-face with Captain Byakuya Kuchiki through Renji, but the man certainly loved his early morning meetings. He'd left the inn before dawn but things had gone smoothly and he was returning well before lunch time. A warm drizzle had begun falling earlier but Ichigo knew he'd make it back before it turned into a heavier rain; within minutes his flashstep had brought him to the entry doors.

Shaking off some of the rain, Ichigo headed straight for the kitchen, hoping to catch some late breakfast and perhaps a few moments with Tatsuki. However, as soon as he entered the room he was practically pounced upon by Orihime. "Oh Ichigo, where have you been?" she asked, as if he should have magically known she'd been looking for him.

"What's up, Orihime? I had a meeting with Byakuya. You look nervous; is everything okay?" He was getting an uneasy feeling from her harried look.

She was wringing her hands, "Oh dear, it's Tatsuki. When I woke up this morning she wasn't there! I was hoping she was with you."

"No, I went to Seireitei. She's been missing since this morning?"

Orihime shook her head, "No one's seen her since last night; I can't find her anywhere."

Slowly the severity of the situation was dawning on him, "Wait, so she didn't charge with you this morning? But she usually charges first thing- it's nearly eleven…" They'd come to find that for Tatsuki the morning charge was the most important because it followed the longest period without one- the overnight. He knew if she'd missed the morning's charge then her reiatsu levels could be reaching a dangerously low level.

Orihime seemed to be growing more upset, "I know! And when I went to look for her she wasn't in any of her usual places."

He put a hand on her shoulder to calm her, "Then we need to look in the unusual places…"

"We did," Uryu interjected, entering the kitchen with Chad and Ganju.

Ichigo didn't like the worried looks on their faces. Uryu finished his statement, "After Orihime told us she was missing we split up to search the whole inn. I'm afraid that Tatsuki is nowhere to be found…"

* * *

A/N: Another fun cliffhanger! From this point things will diverge dramatically in the story line so hope you guys haven't gotten too comfortable with the circumstances yet. On another note, I thought it would be neat to see how Uryu and Tatsuki finally find some common ground amongst this weird bunch since they're so different from each other. I'd like to think that even as such opposites they could become comfortable friends. I've read fics with them as the main pairing that were totally believable. But anyway I've already started work on the next chapter- a big one- so stay tuned! And please review if you're enjoying it so far or have a comment to share! ^_^


	8. Discover

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Alright! A timely update! The last chapter left on a cliffhanger, and I promised some changes- let's see if anyone thought I'd go _here…_

* * *

Chapter 8: Discover

_Ichigo didn't like the worried looks on their faces. Uryu finished his statement, "After Orihime told us she was missing we split up to search the whole inn. I'm afraid that Tatsuki is nowhere to be found…"_

Orihime's eyes were as large as planets, "What? But how can that be?"

Ichigo shook his head, "No. That isn't right." It didn't make sense- Tatsuki was finally starting to turn a corner. He could feel his own anxiousness and impatience tightening his chest. "Where did you look?"

Not the least bit offended, Ishida stated factually, "Every floor. I searched the main floor, Chad took the second. Keigo, Mizuiro and Hanataro went to the upper floors. Ganju checked the perimeter, basement and wine cellars. There was no sign of her."

At that moment the remaining trio entered the kitchen, Mizuiro sighing resignedly, "We checked again- still no luck." Looking around the room, he noted some absences, "Are we sure she didn't go with Renji or Rukia? Or maybe Shiba-san?"

Ganju answered, "My sister and the twins left yesterday afternoon on business; I think your friend was still here."

"And Renji and Rukia went back to Seireitei with me this morning- obviously she didn't come with us," Ichigo added exasperatedly. Uneasiness was creeping across his skin like a chill. "This doesn't make sense! Who was the last to see her?"

Hanataro offered, "She charged with Ishida in the afternoon, and then with Sado after dinner, yes?" The two teens nodded silently in confirmation. "I checked her reiatsu levels once more before she turned in for the night."

Orihime piped in, remembering, "She was in the room last night; she fell asleep before me. But when I woke up this morning she was gone…" Her eyes grew wider still, "Wait, does that mean that I was the last to see her? Wh-what if something happened to her while I was sleeping?"

Keigo scoffed before anyone could interrupt him, "What, like getting kidnapped? You think one of those crazy monsters is gonna tiptoe over you and Rukia to get to _Tatsuki_? Like she'd even _let_ that happen?"

Ishida reluctantly agreed, "The probability of her abduction is highly unlikely under the circumstances. And we already checked the room; there were no signs of foul play."

Ichigo took a deep breath, noting the steady increase in the dull thudding behind his eyes. He was missing something; he just wasn't sure what it was…

Mizuiro shrugged, "So… maybe she went for a run? She used to do that a lot when she needed to clear her head."

"She should know better than to leave the safety of the inn," Ishida replied before conceding, "However, I suppose it's a possibility… perhaps losing track of time…"

Hanataro interjected, "Her spirit energy levels are typically the lowest in the mornings- I doubt she'd have the energy to go running…" Hearing Orihime gasp, however, he quickly amended, "Though perhaps a walk wouldn't be out of the question?"

"We could check the streets nearby, in case she went out and lost her way," Ganju suggested.

Keigo muttered sullenly, "Yeah, except Tatsuki doesn't get lost. Ever."

Mizuiro scowled at his friend, "We should still check- it's the best lead we have so far."

Ichigo struggled to tune them all out as he tried to concentrate. He knew her better than anyone else. What she did, how she thought… he even knew her energy now. Uncertain as to _how_ he knew, he was somehow certain that some part of him knew _exactly_ where she was… he just needed the conscious part of his brain to register it.

"It's a good idea," Ishida agreed. "Some of us should check the streets beyond the inn. Ganju, you can direct us to the best routes and we can split up. Orihime, you should remain here in case she returns and needs a charge- if she can come back, she will. Keigo and Mizuiro should stay here, too."

Mizuiro looked crestfallen, "But it was my idea! I want to help!"

Meanwhile Keigo plopped right at the kitchen table, "Hey, I'm fine with staying behind. The last time we lost track of Tatsuki, Uryu ended up kissing her and I ended up in a coma."

Ishida suddenly coughed whatever air he'd been trying to breathe as Mizuiro stared down at his friend, muttering, "Keigo, you have zero tact."

"Psht! I don't even pretend it's my strong suit." The brunet leaned back, propping his hands behind his head, "Besides, it's raining anyway. I'd rather wait here than get wet."

Orihime spoke quietly, "Tatsuki doesn't mind the rain."

_She's still here…_

"Maybe I can modify the spirit detector to track her somehow," Hanataro wondered.

"That would be helpful," Ishida agreed. "Ganju, you can lead the way. A little rain never slowed us down."

_I don't know how I know…_

Keigo snickered, "He's only saying that because his outfit's probably waterproof."

Ishida raised a critical eyebrow at the boy, "Actually, it does wick quite well. You two stay here with Orihime." The unspoken words 'out of trouble' were heavily implied.

…_But I know she is…_

Mizuiro sighed, "I hope they find her."

Keigo shrugged, "If they're not back in an hour we're gonna have to wake up Yoruichi." The others suddenly turned to stare at him. "What? Her room was on my floor! When I looked in she was curled up in the windowsill." Not understanding the disbelieving stares directed at him, he added, "I was very quiet; I didn't wake her up! She never knew I was there!"

"You're lucky she didn't rip your face off," Mizuiro said, rolling his eyes.

_I can feel it…_

As the others began filing out of the kitchen, Orihime chimed out, "Please be safe! Bring her back, okay?"

Ichigo hung back, still thinking. "Guys, I'm gonna stay here and check one more time, for myself."

Ishida eyed him for a moment, then nodded. "That's fine. You may join us later if you wish." Ichigo merely nodded back, strings of memories playing in his head. As the others left for the front door he headed towards the large hall steps.

'_Not yet. I… I need a minute…'…_

'_She used to do that a lot when she needed to clear her head.'…_

'_Tatsuki doesn't get lost. Ever.'…_

'…_if she can come back, she will.'…_

'_Glad to see I'm not totally replaceable,'…_

'_I don't need protecting, Ichigo! I need my friends!'…_

'_Ichigo, I don't want to go! Not if I have to walk around the place with a scarlet letter on my chest like some leper.'… _

'_Tatsuki doesn't mind the rain.'… _

'…_just… say 'you're welcome,' okay? And get me off this freakin' building?'_

…_There!_

Suddenly sure of his destination, he raced up the stairs to the top floor.

* * *

Without ever noticing it before, Ichigo stopped right in front of the large picture window on the top floor- it had a stunning view over all of Soul Society. With an eerie sort of certainty he turned around to see a much smaller window at the other end of the hall. Running up to it, he peered through; with another gorgeous view, this window opened directly onto one of the roof gables. Inspecting the casement he found it still unlocked, a sure sign. Without another thought he opened it and jumped out into the rain.

Scaling the water-slicked tiles of the roof gable proved a simple task for him, however he guessed that getting down would be far more challenging, particularly for anyone with shorter legs or who didn't happen to be a Soul Reaper, even someone as strong and limber as Tatsuki. Once at the top it was easy to locate her- a small gray lump was curled up precariously against one of the stone fist-topped pillars adorning the inn. Even with her as his focus, he couldn't help but notice the expansive vantage from atop the inn; Rukongai was spread like a child's model set before him and he could even make out the great stone walls of Seireitei in the distance.

"Tatsuki?" he tentatively called out to her, not wanting to surprise her in such a precarious perch. Her lack of a response only heightened his worry.

Nimbly making his way to her across the steep angle of the roof, he finally found himself crouched in front of the unconscious girl, the perfect position in case she startled and slid forward. She was thoroughly soaked from the rain, her thin clothing clinging to her dampened skin as the jet spikes of her hair wilted to drip in her face. For the briefest of seconds he feared he'd been too late until he heard the faintest hint of a whistle in her exhale, a noise she made in her sleep ever since she'd had her nose broken in the fifth grade.

He realized she was sleeping, how deeply he wasn't sure. She seemed so peaceful curled up against the wet stone, arms hugging herself, with raindrops sliding down her cheeks and lips like someone else's tears; he fought the urge to smooth them away with his fingers.

"Tatsuki?" Afraid of startling her he spoke softly, raising his voice to just above that of the rain. When she stirred a little, he called her name again, "Tatsuki? Wake up…"

Heavy lids slowly lifted, blinking away the haze of unconsciousness and the drops of water weighing down her lashes. She dragged her fingers across her face and seemed confused as to why she was wet. He noticed her gloves were missing; she was peering between the spaces of her dripping fingers when she finally noticed him crouched in front of her, "…Ichigo?" She looked around far less surprised by her surroundings than his presence before her, "What are you doing up here?"

Relieved, he smiled at her, "You missed an appointment."

She swiped again with the back of her hand but it wasn't any drier. She replied groggily, "Oh yeah. Well, that was an accident. This time I got stuck…"

"Got stuck?" he repeated with skepticism. "Wait, _this_ time?"

He noticed that she left her head resting against the pillar and wondered if there was a more troubling reason why she didn't raise it to speak to him. "Yeah… I've been coming up here every morning for the past three days… to watch the sunrise. I sit up here for a little while, then climb down and go wake up Orihime." She paused to take a few deep breaths, as though talking were exhausting.

"Yeah, I remembered how you are about your alone time," he mentioned.

"This morning was different… I think it was the rain. I couldn't stand up. I tried to crawl down a couple of times. After I almost fell off it took everything I had just to park it here…"

Tatsuki didn't move through the entire conversation. He nodded, "So you're…"

"Toast. Yeah," she sighed heavily. "It's embarrassing. If you had a spirit detector you'd be pissed as hell at me right now. Like I said, I think it's the rain; I think warmth or water zaps my energy. Out here it's both."

"Has this happened before?" Ichigo asked not bothering to mask the concern in his voice.

"Kinda. Whenever I take a shower I almost pass out- I've started taking them after charges just in case."

She seemed so nonchalant, however he noticed she was talking with her eyes closed. "Does Hanataro know?"

She peered up at him at that, wincing guiltily, "I wanted to be sure before I mentioned it. I think this pretty much clinches it."

"Pretty much…" he muttered. She looked as though she was going to say something else but then her lids began to slowly slide closed again. "Tats?" She went out again and this time Ichigo was less convinced that she'd merely fallen asleep. With a greater sense of urgency he shouted at her, "Tatsuki? Wake up!"

When she still didn't stir he tentatively nudged her shoulder, eventually escalating to a full-on shake before she finally came around again. "Whaaaaaat?" she groaned irritably. Then, realizing what had happened, she groused at him, "Hey, cut it out… You're not supposed to touch me, remember?"

"Relax, I touched your sleeve. But it hardly matters now because we're gonna have to get you off this roof before you get any worse. You passed out in the middle of talking to me."

She sighed dejectedly, eyes barely open, and he wondered if it was the worst he'd ever seen her. "I'm sorry. I know I brought this on myself. It just sucks that we don't have someone up here who could lend me a little juice…"

His jaw clenched reflexively, "You wish it had been someone else who'd found you?"

He watched her eyebrows huddle in confusion, then for the first time in their conversation Tatsuki turned her head towards him to stare in his eyes, "I knew you'd be the one to find me, Ichigo…" and she smiled sadly at him, even as her head lolled in fatigue, "I wanted it to be you…"

His chest clenched, throat suddenly going dry at her words. After five days of agonizing and wondering she'd finally offered some insight into her own feelings towards him. He unconsciously held his breath as she softly continued, "But we both know it would have been more convenient if it had been Ishida or Chad… It just sucks because you're _right here_ and you look so… _strong_… but you're a Shinigami and I don't want to get you in trouble…"

Her last words were almost a pitiful whine that shattered his heart. He nearly shouted at her, "I'm your friend first, Tats, and I'm not gonna just leave you up here a second longer while I go and fetch one of our 'pre-approved' friends just because somebody made up some rules for us!"

She chuckled bitterly, "Then we've got a problem, because Captain Unohana was pretty specific about me avoiding people with those fancy black uniforms- _especially you_, Ichigo."

He frowned, "You must be under the impression that I give a damn about that stuff when you're up here looking like you'll pass out at any moment again. I'll carry you off of this roof if I have to." The fact that her protest took even a moment's delay was enough to confirm his worry.

As he inched closer to her, she sent him a sidelong glance. "This isn't… a good idea, you know," she said wearily.

He rolled his eyes even as he carefully wrapped an arm around her shoulders and slid the other under her legs, "Well, I haven't heard any better ones…"

_Just get her off the roof; Orihime's waiting in the kitchen…_

Ichigo lifted her with ease and once again he was reminded how small and light she was. She curled into him just as she had before when he'd saved her. Dropping her head against his shoulder, a soft moan escaped her lips as though just moving were causing her discomfort, and he was reminded just how critically low her reiatsu was. "Tats, are you okay?"

He was talking about the hold, however from the folds of his robes he could just make out her weakened voice, "God I hate this feeling… being so weak. I never want to feel like this again…"

It was such a heartbreakingly personal admission that he knew she hadn't meant to say it aloud. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, knowing in the end he'd already made the choice.

_I'm gonna be in sooooo much trouble before this is over…_

Handling her gingerly, he sat back down on the roof just where he'd stood. Bewildered, Tatsuki tilted her head back against his shoulder to look up at him as he settled her comfortably in his lap. "What… are you doing?" she asked as he stared back at her with the softest eyes she'd ever seen. Gently pulling his arm from beneath her legs, he lifted it across her body. She tracked his hand with her eyes until he rested it lightly on her shoulder, and she finally realized what he was planning to do. "Ichigo…"

"It's okay," he whispered. Instead of dropping his hand to touch hers, however, he raised it to ghost his fingers along her cheek.

Exhaling deeply, almost drunkenly, she asked again, "Ichigo… seriously… what are you doing?"

Growing bolder he brushed his knuckles along the angle of her jaw before opening his hand to cup her face in his palm, open fingers settling firmly against her wet skin. He replied, "Making sure you survive the trip."

Within seconds he knew something was happening because Tatsuki's eyes drifted seductively closed as she inhaled a relieved breath. However, mindful of Hanataro's cautions he still asked, "Is it working?"

She gave a tiny nod, eyes still closed as if concentrating. "Yeah," she replied breathlessly. They'd been told he could hurt her, so Ichigo watched her vigilantly for the remotest sign of distress. He had to admit he couldn't feel much of a difference, just a new cool sensation where his palm cradled her cheek. However, he could tell she was improving as her hand subconsciously drifted up to loosely clasp his wrist. Soon she was able to lift her head from his shoulder. "Mmm, wow…" she murmured, "You're so… _wow…_"

Instantly blushing, Ichigo stammered, "Is that, um, a good thing?"

He could feel the twitch of her smile against his palm. "This thing I have… I'm getting better at sensing spirit energy. Yours is different- thicker… so much more powerful…" She absently licked her bottom lip as he watched, mesmerized. "It's… _amazing_…"

That's when he felt it- an odd tingle of energy coming from her, scintillating through him to mingle with his own reiatsu. At first he was admittedly confused- wasn't he supposed to be the one giving energy through their contact? As the sensation built, however, he began to recognize it- the one other time he'd felt something like it… five days ago, on a rooftop, with Tatsuki when she'd touched him…

As bizarre as it seemed it was there again, a tenuous link to her beyond her reiatsu in which he could feel her emotions- a deep hidden fear slowly giving way to relief the longer he touched her… an odd bewilderment directed toward him, as though she wasn't sure what to make of his presence there. Without realizing how, he gently pushed past these to reach a sensation of embarrassed vulnerability coupled with an awed admiration. Most encouraging, though, was the hum of an undeniable attraction that both surprised and elated him.

She seemed too distracted by the charge to notice the link this time and he realized she was concentrating on the surge of his spirit energy into her. He didn't recall ever seeing her focus so intently when charging with the others and wondered if perhaps she was asserting some control over the flow. "Tats, are you controlling the transfer?"

She opened brighter eyes, surprised by his inquiry, "Not exactly. More like monitoring it. Your energy is different from the others- it's like trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant instead of a water fountain- it just takes some getting used to."

He smirked a little, "So it's stronger?"

She raised a suspicious eyebrow at his cockiness, "Let's just say it's a bit overwhelming."

"Is it faster? You look better- why aren't you turning cartwheels yet?" he asked with a dubious grin.

She rolled her eyes at him, "Let's just aim for standing on my own two feet first. It still takes time to build up enough energy. With the others it usually takes twenty or thirty minutes or so; we've been at it for less than five. And I was a _lot_ lower than usual. _And_ it's still raining."

He frowned, "I'm stronger than a little rain shower."

Tatsuki shook her head, "Of course you are, but maybe I'm not." She stared up at him thoughtfully, her fingers tapping absently against his wrist, "I can't believe _you_ of all people would be self conscious."

He liked the way she was looking up at him, her eyes so soft and open, her body so relaxed and comfortable. "Hey, when all is said and done, Tats, I'm just a guy. A guy trying to do the right thing…" Looking down at his fingers against her skin, he grazed his thumb along the smooth plane of her cheek, "…A guy with a beautiful girl in his lap who just happens to be his best friend…"

He watched her eyes grow wide in surprise, a blush blooming across her nose and the top of her cheeks beneath his thumb. She blinked rapidly, then averted her gaze, embarrassed, as she quickly changed the subject, "We're gonna be in so much trouble, you know."

He had to smile at her evasiveness. He could still feel her true emotion through their connection. "It doesn't matter, it was an emergency."

She still wouldn't meet his eyes yet, "You don't think you could have gotten me to one of the others in time?" Ichigo thought about Orihime waiting for them in the kitchen at that very moment.

Unwilling to concede, he answered her question with a question, "So you wish I had waited?"

She blinked up at him and he could read her answer along their unspoken connection. She'd been glad he'd touched her. Still, she wasn't going to let him off the hook completely, "I wish I hadn't pushed you into something you'll regret."

He shook his head adamantly, "I don't regret it and I never will. I care more about you than some arbitrary rules and protocols. You need to know that. I will always put you first, Tatsuki, no matter what."

Her eyes widened again and she nervously pulled the corner of her lower lip between her teeth. "You… know what that sounds like, right?"

He shrugged casually, remembering how well his honesty had rewarded him the last time with her. "What? That I care more about you than either of us realized? Than being a Shinigami? When have you known me to say things lightly?"

She swallowed hard, her eyes darting around his face as though she weren't certain where to rest her gaze. "Because… we're friends?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty present.

"Or more," he replied firmly. Then he finally gave her a mischievous smile, "Give it up, Tats. I know how you feel about me; at least I think I do. I thought by now you would have figured out how I feel about you- how I'm absolutely crazy about you. Even if I was trying to be subtle about it. Still, I thought girls were better at that sort of thing?"

Blinking rapidly now, her face seemed to vacillate between confusion, shock and elation. Still she managed to stammer out, "I'm… not a regular girl…"

He merely chuckled, "I know. I think that's why I like you so much."

He could read the doubt mixed with her other emotions and hoped he wasn't frightening her away. Her face appeared just as bewildered as ever as she asked, "How do you know how I feel? Maybe I don't even know how I feel?"

_Honest. Just be honest with her._ "Because I know you about as well as you know me, Tats. I know once you realize you want something you get scared." He could have listed off examples but preferred to let it sink in on its own.

She took several long moments to consider his words, moments that after a while had him second-guessing everything he thought he'd known. The sound of the rain seemed to be growing louder.

"So you think I want _you_?" she replied, her features schooled into her poker face until her own amusement cracked them into a smile; the hand along his wrist squeezed playfully, "…How do you know I couldn't do better?"

He let out a huge sigh of relief, his grin confidently back in place, "I'm sure you could do a lot better, but I'm hoping you'll settle for what's in front of you."

Rolling her eyes, she playfully smacked him in the chest, "Oh shut up, Ichigo! If you were any more amazing we'd have to start worshiping you like a religion!"

He chuckled at that, "Wow. Totally unnecessary. I'd settle for just getting you off this roof safe and sound."

"Already? But…" Her smile suddenly faded, eyes falling to watch her fingers as they absently played with the lapel of his dark kimono, "…I kinda like this… us… like this…"

He nodded thoughtfully, trying not to betray just how euphoric her words made him. "Me too. I could probably stay like this all day with you. But I feel as though I should point out we're still sitting out in the rain. And everyone is down there looking for you…" He gave her back a squeeze with the hand still holding her up. "Do you think you can walk yet?"

"Almost. Maybe after a bit longer…"

Skeptical, he raised an eyebrow at her, "Really? How much longer?"

She rolled her eyes, "The transfers still take time. It's like charging your phone- you can't just charge it in one jolt."

He thought about the first time they found her unconscious, "You did once."

"I did? When was that?" She honestly didn't remember, and instead of telling her he thought about a little experiment, an experiment that he knew would change everything…

"Tatsuki, do you trust me?"

Despite her puzzled look she gave him a very affirmative nod, "After the week we've had that's a pretty ridiculous question. Of course I do."

"Good. I want to try something…"

She eyed him suspiciously but remained dutifully still as he repositioned her a little, his hand on her back sliding up her spine until he pressed it in the space between her shoulder blades. When he lifted the pressure of his palm from against her cheek he could already sense her inner protest at the possible loss of contact. But he only slid his fingers below her jaw to lift her chin; he brushed his thumb ever so lightly over her lips and she licked them reflexively.

"Ichigo…" His name was barely a whisper from her as her eyes slid shut once more, her hand falling against his chest until her fingers brushed softly against his skin. He looked down at her rain-glistened face, so ethereally beautiful in her unguarded placidity. He lowered his head until his nose was next to hers, his lips hovering just above hers until their breath mingled warmly. A tiny part of his brain told him he shouldn't do it- that he was disobeying direct orders. However, the rest of his entire being simply wanted her too much.

With an inhale he closed the distance, lips pressing firmly on Tatsuki's as he pulled her against his body. With a relieved sigh she kissed him back, mouth pliant beneath his in a rare display of submission. He realized it was likely due to the energy flowing into her- this time even he could feel the coursing of his reiatsu into her, like an ocean wave crashing onto the rocks. A pleading moan escaped her throat and she opened for him; he slipped inside, enjoying the exploration of her mouth as she melted into his lap. So intimate, he could feel her satisfaction and desire for him along the connection they still shared, stronger than ever through the bond of their kiss. It was addictive- _she_ was addictive- and he knew before they even broke apart that it wouldn't be the last time he touched her.

Eventually she was the one who ended the kiss, reluctantly breaking away with an overwhelmed gasp. He loosened his hold allowing her to sit up as she inhaled large gulps, smiling even as she fought to catch her breath. Chuckling, she fell against his chest, still breathing deeply as he wrapped an arm tight around her waist.

Uncertain of such mixed signals, he asked, "Tats, are you okay?"

In answer she grabbed his face and gave him a quick yet forceful kiss before she began rambling excitedly, "Ichigo, that was… _amazing_! What did you _do_? I feel like I could fly right into those rain clouds if I wanted to! I never thought… I mean… woooow!" He laughed as she smiled dizzily up at him, even when her eyebrows huddled together with a thought, "Wait, did you know that was going to happen?"

He shrugged happily, "I just knew I wanted to kiss you again- it's all I've thought about since the last roof we were up on."

Blushing, she wrinkled her nose at him cutely, "So is this gonna happen every time we're on top of a building?"

"Only when I'm rescuing you," he reassured her.

She laughed again, then settled a very stern gaze on him, "Seriously though, Spirit World-shattering kisses aside, I need to thank you… for saving me. _Again_." She rolled her eyes at the last part, "I guess I'm just not used to being the one who needs help. I like being the one who does the saving."

He nodded at her words, "I know what you mean. I feel the same, which is why you should understand why I'm glad to be able to save you, Tatsuki. And not just because you're a good kisser…" He winked at her and she punched him in the arm, discomfited. He gave her an affectionate squeeze before continuing, "I meant what I said- you're important to me; I hope now you know why. So I'll be here, whenever you need me, whether it be on rooftops or in rainstorms…"

She smiled at him, "You're really kinda sweet, you know that?"

He smirking as he finished, "…In the shower… After all, you said you get lightheaded in there so I should probably be on hand for that…"

Gasping, she gave him a hard shove in the chest that made him fall back against the roof tiles, "Oh, forget I said anything!"

When she moved to crawl out of his lap he sat back up, placing a heavy hand on her knee, "Hey, you sure you're okay? No more passing out, right?"

In answer she stood up as confidently as ever, even offering him a hand as she smiled down at him. Satisfied, he nodded, then let her hoist him to his feet. As they both stood there up on the roof of the inn, Tatsuki's eyes drifted over towards Seireitei off in the distance. When she sighed resignedly Ichigo reached up and brushed her dripping bangs out of her eyes to kiss her forehead. She smiled up at him once more. In a whisper she admitted, "I have a confession to make, Ichigo. I think I was able to walk long before you kissed me…"

He whispered back, "I figured." Then he looked back over his shoulder toward the window, "Time to go. The others were worried sick about you. We have to get you back."

However, Tatsuki looked over the side, frowning, "You mean not like before?"

Following her gaze he caught her meaning and nodded, "Sure, we can go like before," and without warning he scooped her up into his arms. She laughed, grabbing tight to his shoulders. Looking into her deep, mirth-filled eyes he wasn't certain he'd ever be able to put her down, "Remember?"

She wrinkled her nose up at him, "Yeah. Tuck my head- you're pretty fas-"

He jumped out into the rain before she could finish.

* * *

A/N: *SQUEE!* That was such a fun chapter to write! I love fluffy stuff like this but sometimes it can be tricky to write- the pace and timing have to be just right. I'd really love some feedback to know it if worked. As you can probably tell, kick-starting the relationship between these two will have some interesting consequences and of course there are more twists to come so stay tuned! *Reminds you to click the review button* ^_^


	9. Secret

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Many apologies for the delay of this chapter's posting. I had what we'll refer to as an 'employment crisis' and had to put this little story on hold for the last couple of months while I secured a new position. Now that I've got a couple of prospects lined up I felt comfortable enough to pick this back up and send this lovely update to you guys. Warning: my emotions were all over the map so this chapter may reflect that a little- we'll just see if my crazy ended up on the screen! All this after the last chapter which seemed to have many of you saying 'WTF?' Admittedly, with the last one I was bowled over by the fluff machine- sometimes you just get so much momentum you look up at the end and say 'Huh. How'd I get here?' But know what? It was fun, so I let it stand- mush and all.

Many thanks for those wonderful and encouraging reviews! Reviews are one of my favorite things in the whole world- right up there with lipstick, chocolate, peaches and gift cards. It was the reviews that actually pulled me back to this story even when I felt like I should have been putting my attentions elsewhere- without them who knows when I would have come back to this! So thanks to PathKeeper,  .Me (hasenpfeffer!), Nasha Rei-Kun, Triple-Helix, Aires Drake, liferscove2118, Mako-Hero, jesi ki kage, CWolf2, EveryEye (!~^_^~!), miu miu, DawnCervantes, JJ, and Marie Darkholme (4th?~!) for the motivation to crank out more chapters. Many of you have sent multiple reviews over these past months/chapters and I'm so very thankful. But enough of my gushing! On to the next chap (longest one yet- you guys earned it)!

Chapter 9: Secret

_The fifth day, in the kitchen after the rescue…_

The young redhead stared at the kitchen window watching the raindrops slick down the panes. She was trying not to panic but it was hard- her best friend was _missing_- and no one had any idea what had happened to her! Everyone had gone out searching for Tatsuki; well, everyone except for those two 'knuckleheads' as the tomboy so fondly addressed them. Orihime tried not to think ill of people, but those two sure did make it hard- what with Mizuiro's moping and Keigo's utter disregard for the severity of the situation. She'd sent them up to one of their rooms just to get them out of her hair.

_Oh Tatsuki, please be okay. If something bad happened to you I don't know what I'd do. Just… please come back safe…_

No sooner had the thought entered her mind, Orihime heard footsteps on the back porch. When Ichigo appeared on the other side of the opening kitchen door she was a little disheartened- somehow she'd hoped it would have been Tatsuki.

"Ichigo? Wait, didn't you go upstairs? How did you get outside?"

Shaking some of the rain off of himself before entering, he smiled at her, "Hey, Orihime. Actually, I think a better question is who is it I have with me?" When he stepped to the side she noticed a pale hand gripping his arm attached to a very wet Tatsuki who followed in behind him.

Forgetting any pretense of protocol she rushed forward, embracing the girl in a strangling hug, "Oh, Tatsuki! You're okay! Thank goodness! I was so worried about you!"

Orihime felt the vibration of her friend's chuckle as she hugged her back; the strength in Tatsuki's returned embrace did not escape the young healer. "I'm okay, 'Hime. A little soggy, but otherwise fine."

Orihime held her friend at arm's length to get a better look at her; Tatsuki blushed to a suitable level of embarrassment at the scrutiny. She watched as the redhead's eyebrows huddled together contemplatively before she tilted her head to the side a little, "Wow, you really do look okay, Tats-chan. Better than you've looked since we got here… How come you're okay?" She looked over at Ichigo for an explanation, "How come she's okay?"

Under Orihime's inquisitive eye Ichigo paled noticeably. Releasing her newly retrieved friend, Orihime took a few steps back until she could look at both of them. Suddenly her eyes grew wide as she slowly inhaled a long breath, "Ohhhh… Ichigo, did you… _touch_ her?"

Despite the innocence of her implication, never had a string of words sounded so dirty coming from Orihime's mouth. Ichigo winced as Tatsuki covered her face with her hands in utter mortification. Ichigo sputtered before he could get any words out, "I… she… it… well, it was an emergency, Orihime! Tatsuki was in really bad shape and I wasn't sure I could get her to you in time…"

Tatsuki nodded in agreement, "He's right. Turns out water doesn't exactly agree with my special 'condition'…" She'd already peeled off her soaked sweater in order to ring it out. "I hate to admit it but I was pretty far gone by the time he got to me."

Orihime was about to voice her concern over this discovery when she noticed that Ichigo had disappeared for a moment. In a blink his flashstep brought him right to Tatsuki's side again, now holding a large towel. "Here, Tats. Speaking of which, we need to get you dry," he said, and she watched as he took the sweater from Tatsuki's hands and draped the towel gently over her shoulders.

Something was going on, Orihime was certain of it. Wordlessly she watched as Ichigo vigorously rubbed Tatsuki's arms with the towel as her friend blinked up at him, biting her lower lip to keep from smiling too broadly. Then he pulled a corner of the material up to gently dab at her face, chuckling as she scrunched her nose. As Orihime watched his fingers delicately guide the cloth across her friend's cheeks and eyelids she somehow felt like a voyeur. It was as if the two of them had forgotten she was even there and were sharing an intimate moment.

Then Ichigo smirked, "Don't forget your hair." When Tatsuki shot him a puzzled look he answered by pulling a large handful of towel over her head to rub at the shaggy spikes. When she squealed in protest he wrapped an arm around her, trapping her in the towel as he attacked her hair until she was able to wriggle free.

"You know, you're wet, too, Ichigo!" she countered, pulling a large swatch of material over his face and head to return the favor. Struggling blind, he took a few steps back but only ended up pulling her against him as she was still wrapped up in the towel. She shrieked, "Hey, stop! You're gonna make us fall!"

He was laughing under the towel, "Stop so you can smother me? Yeah right!" He slipped down onto one knee and Tatsuki had to grab his shoulders to keep from stumbling on top of him. As the cloth slipped off his head, Ichigo finally caught a glimpse of Orihime in his peripheral vision. He blanched as he suddenly realized that she had watched the whole thing, playing out with Tatsuki wrapped up in the towel moments from falling over his shoulder. Reaching up to steady her, he groaned as he felt his hands grasp her hips, the towel finally falling with a damp splat to the kitchen floor.

Tatsuki's laughter trailed off as she realized that Ichigo's wide-eyed attention was directed somewhere else; with a start she remembered Orihime- _how had she forgotten about her in the span of a few seconds?_- and instantly began to right herself, backing out of Ichigo's suggestive hold. "Well that's enough fooli- _joking_ around…" she muttered. She'd moved until she was standing alone in the middle of the kitchen floor.

"Yeah…" Ichigo agreed, standing up, "Guess we'd better let the others know you're safe and sound…"

Orihime caught the nervous look on Tatsuki's face and saddened. _They were so happy and carefree a moment ago… It's been forever since I've seen either of them like that…_

Tatsuki nodded slowly, "Yep. We're gonna be in trouble, though."

"But why?" Orihime asked. "You said it was an emergency. Won't they understand?"

Ichigo shrugged, "Our friends might, but the Shinigami won't. And Hanataro will have to tell them." He sighed heavily, leaning against the stove. Tatsuki sank like a stone into one of the kitchen chairs.

Orihime looked at both of her dejected friends, wishing for all the world she could get them back to the way they were before the reality of it all had sunk in. She looked over at the large window again, watching the rivulets of water slick down the panes and hearing the rainstorm outside echo in the nearly empty room.

In a soft voice she asked, "Why do we have to tell them?"

Looking at her friend quizzically, Tatsuki slowly answered, "…Because… we have to…" Then she glanced over to Ichigo, "…don't we?"

He shrugged folded arms, frowning, "Not necessarily. If they wouldn't understand then maybe they don't need to know." Then his eyes slid over to Orihime, "We'd all have to be able to keep a secret, though…"

Orihime watched as both of her friends sighed resignedly. Defensively she responded, "Hey! Are you guys saying I can't keep a secret? Because I can! I can be sneaky!"

Tatsuki couldn't help but grin crookedly, "Oh, 'Hime. No offense, but you're _ridiculously_ honest. It's okay, though- it's one of your best qualities." Ichigo chuckled despite himself.

However, Orihime was offended, "Heeeey! You guys don't understand! I've been through a lot these past few months! I've been in situations where my life depended on my ability to be cunning and deceitful! It may not be one of my favorite things to do but believe me- I can lie with the best of them!" She narrowed angry eyes to prove her point.

Tatsuki blinked in amazement. "Uh, 'Hime, are you serious?"

She nodded sternly, "You and Ichigo are my best friends, and if protecting you means lying then I can be devious, deceitful and conniving!" She wiggled a finger in their direction, "_You just watch_ how sneaky I can be…"

"What am I watching, Orihime? I didn't hear the last part…" Mizuiro asked, strolling into the kitchen. Before he could finish his thought he caught sight of Ichigo, and then finally noticed Tatsuki sitting at the table. "Hey, Tatsuki! You're back!" he exclaimed.

With excitement he rushed to her; however, within inches of embracing her he suddenly stopped, remembering the 'No-Touching-Tatsuki' policy (and possibly the fact that she wasn't much of a hugger in the first place). He hovered there for an awkward moment- bent over with arms wide staring her in the face- until she smirked at him, "Hey, knucklehead. Miss me?"

Smiling, he stood up in front of her crossing his arms, "Just worried about you. We thought you got lost."

She raised an eyebrow at his smug look, "I don't get lost."

He rolled his eyes, "I know that." Then he noticed the towel on the floor nearby and her choppy wet hair, "So where were you?"

Before she could answer Orihime piped in, "Outside! Ichigo found her and brought her back so I could charge her."

Mizuiro turned to look at the redhead, "Really? That's weird."

Orihime had the sweetest smile plastered on her face and for a moment even Tatsuki believed her. Shaking it off, she drew the teen's attention back to her, "Yeah, turns out my unique 'condition' is allergic to _rain_. But now I'm feeling much better."

He nodded, "Oh, well that's good. So the others aren't back yet?"

Ichigo stood up, "Actually I was just about to go call them back. A little flashstep and I'll have everyone here in no time."

"That's great, Ichigo!" Orihime chimed. "We'll stay here with Tatsuki and make sure she's alright."

He gave her a funny look but made his way out the door into the rain before anyone said anything. Tatsuki looked back up at Mizuiro, "So you stayed behind with Orihime?"

He shrugged, "They wouldn't let Keigo and me go with them. He fell asleep upstairs. But when I heard a ruckus down here I figured there was some news." He made a face, "It sounded like… giggling and fighting…"

Tatsuki's eyes went wide but Orihime cut in again, "Oh, sorry! That was me. I was just so excited to have Tatsuki back safe and sound!"

"That makes two of us. Though from the sound of things, I missed a great reunion."

Orihime blushed but Tatsuki just smirked at him, "Oh I don't know, Mizuiro. Just imagine if you'd actually _hugged_ me."

* * *

_That afternoon, Ichigo's room…_

Instead of joining his friends for cards Ichigo decided to catch a little quiet time alone upstairs. The rest of the morning had been interesting- after he'd brought back the search parties, Tatsuki had had to reassure everyone that she was okay. They'd all been glad to see her but Hanataro had been predictably concerned about the latest developments. The medic had ended up asking a lot of tricky questions; it had taken everything he and Orihime had to avoid tipping everyone off about the true circumstances of Tatsuki's rescue. True to her word, Orihime had been surprisingly deceptive in her protection of their secret- it had left him wondering if there were other secrets the girl had kept to herself.

It had been hard to leave Tatsuki, but eventually they'd had to send her upstairs to change out of her wet clothes before any more of her energy could be lost. He hadn't seen her since, but somehow he knew that after secretly kissing her on the roof and sharing his energy with her, hovering around the girl wasn't the smartest idea.

However, that didn't mean he could simply turn off his thoughts about her. Strong feelings for Tatsuki weren't new- after she surprised him by kissing him the first time he felt as though he was seeing her in a whole new light. But the more Ichigo thought about it the more certain he was that his amorous feelings for his best friend had existed before then. Perhaps finally realizing her mutual attraction had been the catalyst to amp his heart into high gear. All he knew was that since she'd kissed him all he'd been able to think about was being with Tatsuki- kissing her, touching her, laughing with her, getting to know her more intimately. How ironic was it that once he'd finally worked up the nerve to act on his feelings he'd been forbidden from doing so?

He knew he'd messed up. The kiss today, the one he'd selfishly taken, had been reckless and impulsive. With his unpredictable energy levels he could have hurt her. Fortunately for her he hadn't. And _un_fortunately for him, it had been _amazingly fantastic_. Kissing Tatsuki had been one of the most enjoyable sensations of his young and extraordinary life, rivaling even the rush of calling his bankai to decimate an opponent. Closing his eyes brought her laughter to his ears and the delectable sensation of her lips pressed against his; his mind kept flashing to intense memories of her- skin surprisingly softer than he would have guessed, dark chocolate eyes that ignited like stars when he smiled at her-

_*Knock knock*_

Ichigo was almost grateful for the distraction. From the firm bang on the door he figured his visitor would be either Ganju or Renji, but when he opened it he instead found his golden-eyed sensei waiting for him, thankfully in her clothed human form.

"Yoruichi? Um… what's up?" It wasn't until he saw her standing in the doorway that he realized he hadn't seen her all day. He vaguely recalled Keigo mention her napping in her windowsill earlier that morning. He suddenly wondered how much she had heard of the day's events.

She had a bored expression on her face as she looked him up and down, and then glanced around his shoulder into the room. "Aren't you going to invite me in? Or are you… busy?"

Ichigo narrowed confused eyes at her before he stepped out of the way, opening the door wide for her to enter. "Not busy. Come on in…" He watched bewildered as she slowly sauntered in, giving the whole room a thorough once-over before finally turning her attention back to him. He couldn't help but ask, "Um, are you looking for something?"

Leaning casually against the dresser, she shrugged. "Just wondering what might be keeping you from playing cards downstairs with the boys. I wondered if perhaps you were entertaining a _guest_."

At that he shut the door, eyeing her. "Nope. Just wanted some time to myself." When she only raised a curious eyebrow in response he leaned his back against the door and crossed his arms resignedly. When it came to his Shinigami sensei, he could tell when she had something on her mind. She had uncanny ways of finding out what she wanted to know; even when she didn't have any details her intuition was enough to put her onto even the faintest of trails. _Might as well get to the bottom of this…_ "Alright, you've obviously got something on your mind, Yoruichi. Why don't you just ask me what you're thinking?"

There was no surprise in her measured stare. "Fine. I heard about Arisawa's 'disappearance' this morning. I have to say, I found the circumstances rather unusual…"

_Of course._ Their lie. He should have known that she would be the only one to be suspicious when everyone else so easily overlooked the huge holes in their story. Still, if it were a chess game his sensei could either be three moves ahead or she might just be fishing. He decided to keep it vague, "Yeah. Apparently water and temperature affect how fast she loses energy; she got stranded outside."

The dark woman gave a passive nod, "I heard. Pretty unusual way to find out about something like that though, don't you think?"

_Fishing._ That eased his worry a little. "Not really. Today's the first day it's rained since we arrived here." He shrugged, "Did you ask her about it? Since it's her condition…" Even as he asked, the thought of Yoruichi confronting Tatsuki made him shudder.

She shook her head, "You're the one who found her. _You're_ my student, not her. She doesn't know or trust me so she'd have no reason to be honest with me when I ask what happened."

_Shit._ He watched her guardedly, "I thought you already heard what happened."

"I heard what the others told me- that you _miraculously_ found her almost completely spent for energy and brought her _dutifully_ back to the inn for Orihime to charge."

He inwardly cringed; it sounded so flimsy when she said it aloud. He still couldn't give up, though. "Right. So what's the problem?"

Her piercing golden stare landed on him and in that moment it felt as though she were looking right into him, the quirk of a challenging smile curling her lips. "The problem is I know you better than you think. Arisawa-san, she's… different." He was about to interject but she continued over him, "I mean the way you treat her is different than the others. You two have a history apart from your other friends. We even talked about her once; do you remember?" Recognition slowly dawned on him as she confirmed, "You had a dream about her…"

He sighed heavily, "We've been friends for a long time- I care about her. But I care about them all."

"But she's the only one you've been keeping an eye on…"

"Because I never expected her to get mixed up in all of this… this Shinigami craziness! I thought that at least _she_ was safe! The others I couldn't help- Sado and Orihime- but her…" He clenched his jaw reflexively, "…turns out I was wrong. So forgive me for keeping a closer eye on the person whose life I most recently ruined."

She raised a doubtful eyebrow at that, "You think you ruined her life?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes as he ran a hand over his head, "Well she sure as hell wasn't planning on getting snatched off the street by an Arrancar only to be dropped a couple thousand feet, to then be kidnapped into the Spirit World under the guise of protection where by some fluke her life force drains away unless her friends can replace it, which ultimately denies her the protection she was promised in the first place! And it's all _my_ fault! So yeah, I think I can safely say I'm the one who ruined her life!"

When he finally looked back up at Yoruichi she'd taken a seat on top of the dresser, one foot tucked under her while the other dangled against the drawers. She shook her head at him, "…Which is why I find it hard to swallow your story."

"Wait, what?"

She looked as though she were trying to stifle a smile, "Ichigo, in the time I've known you- whether right or wrong, whether smart or dumb- you've always done the heroic thing…"

"So?"

She raised that smooth eyebrow at him again, "…So you found Arisawa drained of all her energy and you simply scooped her up and brought her back for Inoue to fix?" His only answer was a guilty yet defiant glare. She sighed exasperatedly, "You don't have to tell me; I don't even want to know-"

"-Then why are you here?" he snapped.

Her face was suddenly quite serious, her eyes unblinking. "Because you need to understand that it can't happen. You were given rules to follow. You can't be the one to rescue her- you can't be the hero, Ichigo. Not this time. There's too much at stake with this. It's not just your ass on the line, and it's not just hers. It's all of our asses!"

Unable to hold it in, he exploded off the door to pace the floor in front of her. "You're talking about the Council, aren't you? Well I couldn't give a damn about them when after all I've done for them they won't even help us! All out of misguided fear of something they don't understand!"

"Ichigo, Central 46 and what they represent is so far beyond what you can even comprehend right now! They're not just a bunch of guys sitting around a table sipping tea and passing judgment on a bunch of teenagers; they are responsible for the fate of millions of human souls including every single Shinigami! I wish I could explain it but their motives are not for you to question!"

She seemed surprised by how angry he had become. Changing her approach, she slipped off the dresser, crossed to him and stopped his pacing with a hand on his shoulder. "You're one of the most unique and powerful beings we've ever seen, Ichigo, but it's bigger than you. It's bigger than me or the Shinigami. It's bigger than Aizen! So I'm telling you to do as I say."

Exhaling away some of his tension, he willed himself to calm down. Somehow he could sense the true gravity of his teacher's words. Still, he couldn't help asking, "But what about Tatsuki?"

She answered with a soft smile. "You once told me how strong you knew Arisawa to be. Next time, give her the chance to save herself…"

* * *

_That evening…_

By the end of the day the rain had long ceased, the day's warmth slowly eliminating all trace of the downpour. Tatsuki felt comfortable enough to venture outside again though this time she stayed closer to the ground, lazily dangling her legs off the edge of the back porch. She found she did her best thinking outside and at the moment she had a lot of thinking to do...

Ichigo. Just when she thought she'd finally gotten a handle on his 'amazingness' he cranked it up another notch. Apparently saving her from a fanged ghost-demon wasn't enough- he had to save her from a rainstorm, too. His timing had been impeccable…

The roof had been the perfect spot: a hiding place out in the open that was still technically part of the inn. It had open air with expansive views including a glimpse of Seireitei- a breath-taking sight even if she'd been forbidden from entering its walls. At first, the rainy drizzle had actually felt kind of nice- a soothing balm against her frazzled nerves, it had a tranquil calming effect on her. Only after the rain grew heavier did she finally begin to notice her steadily growing fatigue. It was an inevitable pull- like the slow descent into sleep- and she knew something was wrong.

The danger of her situation became immediately apparent: passing out on a four story rooftop spelled out a bizarre sort of disaster she hadn't even considered until she nearly slid off the slick tiles a couple of times. Those close calls were enough to convince her to find a relatively safe spot to weather the storm. She drifted off into unconsciousness clinging to that stone pillar with thoughts of her own mortality weighing heavily on her mind.

It had been so surreal to open her eyes to Ichigo's intense gaze, to be awakened by his panic-stricken voice. How had he known where to find her? How absurd to have him just crouched right in front of her like that, apparently already keenly aware of her peril? She'd been reminded of the rain when she noticed how it spiked his hair and weighed down his kimono; the wet sheen on his skin had brought the sharp angles of his face, neck and chest into higher relief. He barely seemed to register the storm, his focus instead centered on her with an intensity that still made her blush just to think of it. Despite his natural strength he'd been surprisingly gentle as he'd cradled her against him and when he'd finally touched her…

Guiltily she had to admit it- she'd wanted him to, but hadn't really been prepared for the overwhelming repercussions. Ichigo's reiatsu had had the pull of a tidal wave… she'd felt swept away in an undercurrent of raw power, surrounding and filling her in a manner split somewhere between drowning and igniting. In that moment she had known the power of a Shinigami, of the entire Spirit World into which she had been so unceremoniously thrust. It had been both delicious and frightening; somehow she knew that such power had never been meant for her to experience.

In this world- in all of them- she was so small, so inconsequential. The boy she'd known had grown into a man that surpassed her wildest imagination, running across the wind, embodying the power of gods. Who was she to think that she'd ever had a chance with someone like that?

His voice over her shoulder surprised her; she hadn't even heard him walk out onto the porch, "Hey, Tatsuki. Are you, um, alone?"

Startled, she turned her head to look up at him, "Ichigo, hi. Yeah, it's… just me." Sensing he wanted to say something she allowed the silence to deepen between them. When he just stood there staring at the garden she prodded, "Did you have something on your mind?"

She watched him walk down the porch steps to stand in the yard near her. The porch was low without a railing- even with him standing they were about eye-level with each other. He finally nodded, "Uh, yeah." She couldn't help but notice that he seemed to avoid looking at her until the last possible moment where he quickly glanced in her general direction. "I just wanted to check up on you after, you know, this morning…"

He was guarded and aloof; his tension was obvious, telling her everything. Something deep in her chest clenched and she fought the urge to ball her fist and hit something. Instead she answered, "I'm fine, Ichigo. You don't have to worry about me."

"I know…" he whispered, though she didn't really believe him. Realizing he wasn't finished she held her breath, waiting, already knowing before he spoke. "Tatsuki… about what happened this morning… between us. It… it can't-"

"-It can't happen again. I know," she cut him off, unable to hear him say the words after all. She was surprised how much it hurt, the amount of personal rejection she felt despite knowing that a large part of it undoubtedly had nothing to do with her. "It was reckless and crazy. I shouldn't have let you. It was stupid."

She heard his voice harden, "It wasn't stupid! But… there are rules, and this time I have to follow them… And it's… it's bigger than us…"

She scoffed sadly, calling him on his own frustration, "Do you even know what you're saying?"

He leaned against the edge of the porch several feet away; the distance only irritated her more. Neither seemed able to look at the other. He sighed, "I spoke with Yoruichi. She knows I've been treating you differently. She didn't say it, but I think she knows everything. Tatsuki, I'm sorry, but…"

She only heard snippets of what he said next, her mind already too full of her own spinning conclusions. It had been her own stress and anxiety. Her traitorous female hormones finally asserting themselves after so much repression. Or maybe it had been her utter inexperience with any even remotely intimate contact. All she knew was that her feelings had betrayed her; how ironic that once her brain finally figured out what her heart wanted, her damaged spirit form would put it beyond her reach. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the burning tears that threatened.

"…not because I don't want to. But I have obligations in this world as a Soul Reaper. Sometimes despite what we may want for ourselves we have to act for the greater good. We may not even understand why we have to do the things required of us…"

She shook her head, realizing what was happening. He wasn't talking to her, not really. He was quietly delivering what must have been a well-rehearsed speech to the air in front of him without any regard for her actual attention. He pressed on, a sad sort of momentum propelling his flat words, "…because of what's happened to you. And one day I'm sure we'll see that in the end the sacrifices we made were for the best-"

"-Stop!" she finally pleaded, interrupting again. "Just… just stop, Ichigo. I can't do this. I can't sit here and listen to this!"

He finally turned toward her, a startled look on his face as though he hadn't expected that reaction from her. From the way he gulped she guessed there probably wasn't a contingency plan for her particular deviation.

She sighed, chuckling woefully to herself, "I know what you're trying to say, Ichigo. And I get it. I respect your decision to abide by the Council's restrictions- I know it wasn't an easy one for you to come to…" _At least I hope it wasn't an easy one for you to come to…_ "…It's… it's the right thing to do."

From the bewildered look he gave her she figured she'd surprised him again. It took everything she had to maintain a neutral face and she wondered how long she'd be able to keep it up before she had to get the hell out of there. Saying it aloud had somehow made it that much more painful.

She was in the middle of a calming breath when he edged closer to her whispering, "I'm sorry, Tats. It's not what I wanted… but I don't have a choice."

Something sharp twisted in her chest at those words- _why did he have to say that?_- forcing the air from her lungs in a pained groan. Instantly she turned an angry glare at him, only registering a second of the sadness tightening his features before he blurred before her as unbidden tears flooded her vision.

She pawed at her eyes to rub away the embarrassing wetness even as she cursed her own frailty, "Damn it!" To her dismay the drops just wouldn't stop coming.

Unable to see him, she knew he'd come closer when she heard his concerned voice, "Tatsuki, I'm sorry! I never wanted to hurt you like this-"

Choking on the lump in her throat she still managed to rasp out, "-I said stop it! Damn it, Ichigo, that's not fair! You don't get to say that!"

"What?"

She reached for the anger roiling deep in her gut to muffle the sadness and humiliation crippling her and to staunch the flood of her tears. Using the backs of her hands she finally cleared some of her vision. "God, Ichigo… I just…" she didn't even know where the words were coming from,

"…I spent so much time angry at you for shutting my out… that I never thought to wonder why you did. But now I know; now I think I understand what you've become." She glanced over at him and was again taken by the striking figure he cut standing there with his black robes and chiseled features, so handsome and mature- so far beyond her. She shook her head, defeated, "Now that I've seen it- seen your power and what you can do- I would never want to be the one to stand in your way. I don't even understand how someone as insignificant as me could be a road block for you, but whatever it is I don't want to be it."

Standing only a foot from her, she could see the tension in his body as though he were fighting the urge to reach out and touch her, to comfort her. Instead he spoke through a tightly clenched jaw, "You're not a road block, Tatsuki. It's more complicated than that."

She sighed hopelessly, throwing her hands up, "I know that! I know it's over my head why it has to be this way! It's my own stupid fault for falling for you! I'm just… tired. Tired of being brave in this world where my life doesn't make sense…"

"…Falling for me?"

Her eyes were dry now, her mind already going numb as she whispered, "God, I hate this world… I hate being broken. I hate not being able to control my feelings or protect myself. I want things back the way they were- before the ghosts and the monsters… when you were normal… and I was strong enough…"

"Tats, I _am_ normal… at least in the ways that matter! And you're still strong… you're…" The conviction she'd heard earlier was slipping from his voice. She missed his mystified expression as he struggled for the right words; she couldn't look at him, not now. When she felt the weight of his hakama brush against her knees she withdrew involuntarily, raising her legs to get up. But before she could stand Ichigo's fingers had caught her wrist, gently pulling her back, "Tatsuki, wait!"

She emphatically shook her head pulling against his hold, her sleeve twisting beneath a grip that refused to release her. "Let go, Ichigo! I tried to be an adult about it- to sit here and listen to you try and justify it all away. But you're wrong, I'm not strong enough! I can't smile and pretend it doesn't hurt." She looked down at his hand encircling her sleeve, "I can't… be near you right now. So just-"

With a surprising amount of force she wrenched and twisted her arm, winning her freedom. It would undoubtedly bruise but she didn't care, she had to leave. Pushing herself to her feet she pointedly ignored his pleading requests- "Tatsuki, stop! Please!"- to aim herself toward the door while she could still see it, tears already threatening to blur her vision again.

She made it all of three steps when suddenly the world spun and she slammed into something. Blinking away the moisture and disorientation she found Ichigo's face mere centimeters from her nose, his body flush, pressing her up against the wall. He'd pinned one of her arms next to her head; when she tried to move neither of them budged. She opened her mouth to speak but this time he cut her off, voice so low and close she felt it vibrate across her skin, "Damn it, Tats! I need you to listen…"

She wasn't in a listening mood, being far too distracted by his presence _everywhere_. When she felt his fingertips press into the back of her neck something in her memory finally clicked- _he's touching my skin!_- and panic took over; she knew she only had seconds before energy started flowing through the contact. "You can't touch me, Ichigo! Let me go befo-"

He silenced her by crashing his mouth onto hers, forcing a kiss that stole both her breath and ability to stand. Shot through her body like a bomb blast, his reiatsu rolled like a concussive wave stunning every nerve ending in its path. This time the intent pulsing through that energy proved undeniable- it was impossible for Tatsuki to ignore the stark naked _want_ assaulting every sense… _Hunger… Desire…_ She slid down the wall a few inches until he released her trapped wrist to slip his arm behind her, pulling her up against him.

_Oh God… want him… too much… can't help it…_

Just when the need for oxygen began to outweigh the pleasure of his overwhelming attentions Ichigo broke the kiss. He didn't go far- only his head moved to the side of hers as the rest of him still relentlessly pinned her to the wall. It was probably for the best since she didn't really know what her legs were doing, wasn't even certain they were still under her.

Tatsuki rested her head back against the flat wood, gulping in air as she listened to him doing the same, hot puffs of his breath tickling against her neck. He must have recovered first because soon his words were echoing loudly in her ear, "I'm sorry. Tats, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… well that's a lie- I definitely _meant_ to… but I shouldn't have been so rough. Are you… are you okay?"

_Damn that was…_ When she didn't answer aloud he prodded more persistently, "Tats? Are you okay?"

"…Fine… I'm good," she replied in a daze. Gaining some of her bearings she quietly asked, "What… just happened? What… did you… do?"

She felt his deep chuckle reverberate against her chest before he answered, "I… changed my mind."

_Want him… so much…_ Her brain was having a hard time processing it all, "Wh-why?"

He shifted again and this time his gorgeous amber eyes filled her vision, their deep intensity making her shiver. "Because… you're absolutely _stunning_ when you're pissed at me."

_Delirious… he's making me delirious…_ "I'm wh-what?"

There was that serious look of his again. "I remembered something. This morning I made a promise to you, Tatsuki- that I would always put you first." _This morning? Seems so long ago…_ "I know I'm supposed to honor these rules. I tried! But something, no, _everything_ in me is telling me that you're more important! That _this_- that_we_ are more important! I can't ignore that! I can't ignore you… I'm sorry I tried to."

She simply looked up at him, elation and confusion fighting for predominance in her head. _I knew it was real…_ Finally she gave him a crooked smile. "I guess… I forgive you."

He smiled back, sweeping her into another deep kiss and the world slowed for another few moments as she reveled in the electricity of his touch.

_Nothing… Nothing has ever felt this… perfect…_

They stayed like that for a while, long after the kissing had stopped. Despite their intimate proximity she realized he was no longer touching any of her exposed skin. Instead he just stared at her, his features pensive as though he were vacillating between memorizing her face and contemplating the future.

_Whatever else happens… at least I had this moment…_

Unsure if she really desired the answer, she asked, "So what happens now?"

He blinked in surprise as though he'd been oblivious to his peculiar staring. However his answer came fast, as he shot her a conspiratorial smirk. "Well, Tats, that all depends… Can you keep a secret?"

* * *

A/N: Naughty little kids! Did anyone catch the earlier reference to one of my other fics? ID it for a cookie! Hope this chapter proved worth the wait. As always reviews are appreciated, coveted and cherished. More action to come- I promise not to continue to drown you lovely readers in fluff. 'Til next time!

Mira ^_^


	10. Closer

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: I'M ALIVE! Whew! I apologize for the long absence! Inexcusable, really. I cite the aforementioned employment issue- I had to settle into a new specialty with new hours and all that jazz. Lots of homework. But totally worth the trouble- I've never been happier at a job! Yes, pay me to do this stuff, haha!

Many thanks for the AWESOME reviews from the previous chapter- several of you earned giant cookies for correctly identifying 'What's a 'Tatsuki'?' in there. Since so much time has passed since the last post I wanted to thank each of you for such wonderful, adorable, humorous and thought-provoking messages: Mako-Hero, xJ11Cx, Marie Darkholme, EveryEye (cookie!), XBloodMageRikaX, pharaoh-90, Jmamill, YellowWomanontheBrink, blackenedheart231, jesi ki kage, Kiss-Kiss-Kiss-Goodbye, hornyzombie, Cheyanne Bourne, KatzNoel, Queen NekoChan (cookie!), hotaru yorukarashi, and 1dmp2- I'm so glad you all left feedback and hope you will get a chance to read this newest chapter. I confess, after so much time has passed I hope someone will still be reading this. After the reviewing format changed I don't even know if people get new-chapter alerts like they used to (info on this would be helpful).

So there you have it. For those who didn't feel like perusing all that above it was: 1) Sorry for the disappearing act, 2) thanks for loving and reviewing ch 9, and 3) hope people are still out there reading this. Ok now on to the good stuff. Chapter 10 for your viewing pleasure! A little bit of sneaking and a revelation!

* * *

Chapter 10: Closer

_Soul Society, Shiba Inn, three days later- in the late evening…_

After three days of sunny, cloudless skies it had decided to rain once again. Tatsuki stood leaning in the doorway of the balcony as she listened to the downpour- it was the closest she would allow herself this time. She couldn't help but think of the falling drops like the bars of a jail cell; they'd all been cooped up inside all day. Not that she or anyone else had anywhere to go, but lately she'd taken to long lazy strolls through the inn's garden and not being able to do even that felt excruciatingly stifling.

The rush of the rain drowned out any sounds of Orihime's nightly bathroom ritual but Tatsuki knew the girl was splashing, brushing and flossing her little heart out in there. That was one of the few up-sides, she mused: for her flighty friend, this trip undoubtedly seemed like one giant sleepover.

And of course Orihime was probably exhilarated over the fact that she was finally _sharing_ a 'giant secret' with her best friend instead of keeping one from her for a change. True to her word in the kitchen, the brassy redhead had shown a surprising knack for the utmost secrecy over the past few days. She'd even gone as far as to coordinate some of their ruses.

The past three days had been so surreal. After she'd been abducted Tatsuki had felt like her life had been turned upside down by traveling to the Spirit World. Now, with things… _escalating_ the way they had she'd felt spun in a blender and poured into Wonderland. Nothing seemed to make sense- certainly not her newfound ability of sucking the life force of anyone she touched. And certainly not the sudden and unforeseen attentions of a certain elusive substitute Soul Reaper and former absentee best friend. Just thinking about him made the place behind her forehead feel light and dizzy.

Tatsuki stretched her neck as she fought yet another yawn. The fatigue seemed to weigh more heavily lately, the crash feeling harder and faster than before. Right now, if not for her obligations she could probably just go curl up and drift off to sleep… Certainly Orihime would wake her when-

Her half-lidded eyes almost missed the flurry of movement as a dark-clad figure suddenly dropped from the sky landing right in front of her. _What the hell?_ When Tatsuki opened her mouth a large wet hand clamped over it. The young fighter's instincts instantly kicked in- she had already grabbed the assailant's forearms and was raising her knee towards his pelvis when a familiar voice whispered, "Tats, wait!"

_This energy, it's…_ Freezing in place, she looked up with daft recognition at the person attached to the hand clamped over her mouth. He released her, a stupid grin spreading across his face. "Ichigo?~!"

He slipped past her into the room to escape the rain. Toeing off his sandals he asked, "Why were you screaming? Weren't you expecting me?"

Attempting to mask her frazzled reaction she groused in the loudest whisper she would allow herself, "I wasn't screaming! And of _course_ I was expecting you… through the _door_. What the hell are you doing dropping onto my balcony like some crazy weirdo-stalker?"

He shrugged, "I couldn't get to the door; Rukia was standing in the hallway for some reason. So I found another way. I thought you would have admired my creativity." He was looking entirely too smug for his own good.

She rolled her eyes at him, "Maybe if you hadn't shocked the living daylights out of me…"

At that moment Orihime came out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand. Through a mouthful of foaming toothpaste bubbles she exclaimed, "Oh hi, Ichigo! I didn't hear you come in."

Tatsuki pointed a thumb over her shoulder, "That's because idiot came from outside." She raised an eyebrow at him, "You're not coming anywhere near me until you're drier. You're dripping all over our floor."

Orihime had already ducked back into the bathroom to spit. When she re-emerged she had a towel, "Here, Ichigo. Tats-chan has a point, you know."

He took the towel from her before she flounced back into the bathroom, "Thanks, Orihime." But then he threw it to Tatsuki, who caught it with a confused look.

Before she could finish her question, "Why are you giving this to me? I'm not th-" he'd shrugged his soaked gi off leaving him shirtless. The rest of the words died on her lips as he held the garment out the balcony door to wring it out. She gulped at the contours of his tensing back as he did so.

Turning back around, he caught her staring. Lips pulling into a smirk he strode slowly toward her until he'd stopped right in front of her, the tips of his tabi bumping the sides of her feet. She blinked rapidly as his arm wrapped around her… to hang his shirt on the door knob at her back. One word was whispered in her ear, "Better?"

Then he winked, grabbed the forgotten towel in her hands and stepped away just as Orihime came out of the bathroom again. He wrapped it around his shoulders and rubbed at his hair as the redhead pulled on a light evening kimono over her pajamas. "Alright, you two. I can give you an hour before the others get too suspicious," Orihime announced in a conspiratorial hush as she headed for the door. "I'll be back by then, okay?"

Tatsuki was almost too distracted to reply. "Uh, yeah," she murmured, her eyes actually on the shirtless Shinigami presently rubbing his torso and neck vigorously with the towel to remove all traces of moisture from his skin. The fluttery feeling in her chest and stomach was rising again with a vengeance and she swallowed hard in hopes of pushing it back down.

Ichigo nodded, "Thanks again, Orihime. See you in a bit." The girl opened the door a crack, peered out into the hallway like a trained spy, and then slipped through pulling the door shut quietly behind her.

* * *

Ichigo chuckled as Orihime disappeared, "She's looking more like 007 every day…" It was the third evening in a row that she'd helped them sneak a secret rendezvous. One certainly had to admire the girl's dedication.

He sat down on the closest horizontal surface as his gaze drifted over to Tatsuki, who didn't seem to have heard him. She was all the way across the room, still hovering against the balcony door as if anchored by an unseen force; there was an unmistakable weariness about the slump of her shoulders. Once again she was worrying the corner of her lower lip between her teeth as she stared past him.

Hoping to gain her attention he offered, "Hey Tats, she's gone now." He watched as she blinked rapidly before her eyes darted with surprise around the now empty room. It brought to mind the behavior of a startled animal.

"Huh?" was all she managed.

"You tired?" he asked, not even bothering to mask his concern. He stared more closely at her; what little skin her outfit revealed- mostly her face and neck- seemed paler than he thought it should. She should have charged with Uryu earlier that day- he wondered how many hours had passed since then.

She sighed heavily and he watched her chest fall with the exhale, "I don't know. Just wrecked. Not sure why." Her eyelids seemed to drift low all on their own.

The words left his mouth before he realized he'd spoken them, "I can help with that, you know…" When she blinked over at him, shock raising her eyebrows, he instantly felt like a letch. He hadn't meant it quite the way it sounded…

"I meant… I just meant that since I'm here…" Confidence instantly deflating he stopped himself, his previous words sinking into both of their minds as his fingers plucked absently at the fabric beneath him. Only then did he realize he'd sat down on her bed- the soft bedroll rolled out for the night onto its tatami and low wooden frame. He sat up straighter, suddenly acutely aware of his shirtless-ness and the fact that the lower portions of his pants were still quite wet. Accommodating the bed's low frame had made him sit with his knees far apart- he leaned forward to rest his arms on them hoping to seem less… he didn't know. Forgetting why he was even there he stammered, "I should, um… maybe I should go?"

Tatsuki's soft yet steady voice surprised him.

"No…" she replied, "You shouldn't go," and in that moment she seemed to have made up her mind about whatever reservations she might have been nursing. Pushed by a renewed confidence, she slid off the balcony door as smooth as a puddle; in several fluid steps she was standing between his parted knees. "I think you should stay right here…," she murmured, her small hands settling firmly on his shoulders, "…because I've been thinking about you all day."

Her hands felt cool against his bare skin; Ichigo knew within seconds they would be warming from their contact. He also realized that her grip was to steady herself- happy for the excuse, he skimmed his palms up her hips to grip her waist; he felt her abs tighten beneath his thumbs even through her clothing. "Well, that's good to hear," he replied, mouth suddenly parched, "since I haven't stopped thinking about you since we got here." Tatsuki's silent chuckle tensed her muscles again; then her concentration stilled her in his arms.

As she pulled energy through her touch he stared up, marveling at her soft, meditative features. "So beautiful," he whispered and she opened her eyes to shine a bashful yet appreciative smile down on him. Her gaze drifted down to his mouth before returning to his eyes and he knew she was going to ask permission, because in the past three days she'd asked every time.

"Can I?" she whispered, raising a hand to ghost fingers under his chin.

"I wish you would," he replied, tugging her closer against him. She took the hint and pulled her knee up against his hip so that when Ichigo pulled her down she sat straddling his thigh. Lips on course, she brushed several light delicate kisses against his mouth.

He loved when she did that. When she'd first done it- grazed soft touches across his lips instead of the hungry assault he'd expected - he'd found it very un-Tatsuki-like and told her so. He still recalled the blush that rushed to her cheeks when she admitted that it was the closest she thought she could come to kissing him in the real world, because she could feel his lips without the distraction of their increased energy transfer. He'd been pleasantly surprised to hear such a confession and from then on secretly reveled in those gentle attentions from her.

Of course, such sensual touches invariably stirred more possessive inclinations in him making him pull her harder against him and kiss her more deeply, more forcefully until he could feel his reiatsu charging through her, could feel that mystifying connection that laid her emotions bare to him. It was as much a rush for him as it was for her, making it hard to concentrate on anything besides the surge of her pleasure or the feel of her body against his as she pulled her own strength from him.

When she finally broke their kiss for a breath Ichigo found he'd inadvertently laid her down as he'd rolled on top of her, his full weight pressing her into the soft bedroll beneath them. Panting and flushed, he felt her grip on his neck and back as tight as if they'd been soaring through the clouds, short nails dug in as if she were afraid of falling. He propped himself on an arm to give her ribcage room to expand and watched as she inhaled grateful gasps, words lost on kiss-swollen lips. Her hands loosened and then fell away as she relaxed beneath him. Ever protective, he asked, "Are you okay?" Somehow he knew he would always ask.

Tatsuki smiled happily, sleepily, as pupils blown as black and wide as a starless sky constricted to focus on him. "Never better," she whispered seductively, making his ego swell with male pride. She felt perfect beneath him, he decided, without even the slightest sign of discomfort at his much larger weight pinning her. She looked messy and radiant.

Even propped on a forearm Ichigo was able to brush the corner of her mouth with his thumb. In a mock of her typical request he asked, "So… can I?"

With a Cheshire grin he felt her wiggle beneath him until both of her hands were back on him- one grazing up his side and chest, the other sliding across his shoulder and neck until she held his face in both hands.

"I wish you would," she mimicked back as she pulled him down to her.

* * *

_His arms had been wrapped warmly around her stomach. Somehow his hands had migrated down her arms until they encircled her wrists and slowly began to pull… Tighter and tighter until her shoulders began to ache from the strain…_

…_Of her wrists being restrained over her head. Movement proved futile; pulling against her bonds only pushed her against the wall behind her, rough-hewn stone that felt jagged between her shoulder blades. _

_Panic rose like fire in her throat. Even with eyes wide open she saw nothing. Could only feel the air around her- hot and damp, as heavy as a layer of clothing against her bare skin. The pungent stench of must and rot curled thickly in her nose nearly making her gag…_

_Eerie echoes vibrated in the darkness, surrounding everything. But immediately around her it was quiet. Far too quiet. She tried to speak- to soothe herself with the sound of her own voice- but when she parted her lips there was nothing, her tongue like a wad of matted cotton in the hollow of her mouth. _

_She swayed against her arms again and the darkness danced within her vision, like the lingering evidence of intoxication or perhaps simply a mind-numbing fatigue…_

_Dim lights approached with the sounds of feral grunting. A pair of eyes. Red- glowing within deep sockets that loomed closer, taller, making her strain her neck to see so high. As large as an elephant or a dinosaur but with a body more like that of a giant amphibian, it had a white bone face the size of a car hood that stared back down at her. It was then that she realized that the echoes in the distance were strangled screams…_

_It stalked closer making her panic climb, washing through her entire body until she was shivering. The giant head lowered to sniff her and then roared, hot breath blasting her face and torso. The smell of wet rotting flesh from its mouth nearly blinded every sense until she felt its wet spongy tongue swipe a wide swath across her chest, lingering against her neck and ear. _

'_No… no no no nonononono…'_

_Tongue retracting from her skin it roared again, jaw hinging open as it lunged forward to devour her. She cowered and braced for a rending force that never came. Instead it emitted a strangled howl- she choked as warm splatter flew across her face, the monster falling heavily against the length of her body before sliding lifeless to the floor in a giant heap._

_She shuddered in relief as the darkness around her thickened with a newfound silence. The body of the beast disappeared. She could hear herself gasping for ragged breaths…_

_She must have blinked because suddenly he was there- a tall man standing before her as if he'd been present the whole time. White coat and skin, chocolate brown hair and eyes. Much older than her, but quite handsome in a striking sort of way. He wasn't smiling per se, but his face held no malice, his body no tension. _

_He was close enough to touch her and he did, his hand settling lightly against the center of her chest. Her skin began to burn beneath his fingers as if it would catch fire. Then he did smile…_

…_And finally she could scream._

* * *

Orihime was there in the room when Tatsuki woke with a start, a strangled scream bit off as she sat bolt upright from her bed roll.

"Ohholy_shit_! Um…" The redhead watched as the girl's eyes gained focus, concentrating through her gasping breaths before they swung onto her, "Uh… 'Hime? Oh, jeez…"

"Tatsuki? Is something wrong?" Orihime asked, noting how her friend scrubbed her palms against her eyes as if to banish something she'd seen. Blinking a few times to test her vision the dark haired girl slowly began to take in the room around her.

"Where's Ichigo?" she threw out to the air. Orihime couldn't even be sure the girl was talking to her, but since she had an answer she figured she'd field the question. "He's downstairs with some of the others." Her auburn eyebrows huddled together as she thought about the encounter, "…I'm not very good at charades but I think he was trying to tell me that you'd fallen asleep."

Tatsuki began to nod her head, a small motion that slowly grew more purposeful. Finally she tensed her muscles and took a huge breath that seemed to visibly banish the tension from her body. Giving her head a final shake, she looked over at Orihime, completely collected, "Yeah. So that must have looked strange. Sorry. Um, are you okay, Orihime?"

The redhead tilted her head in confusion, "Well, sure I am, Tats-chan. I was just worried about _you_! Did you have a bad dream?"

"Something like that…" the girl admitted. "Nothing to worry about. But that's not what I meant." Orihime noticed that Tatsuki was staring contemplatively at her as she asked, "Um… 'Hime, are you… okay with _this_?" And she made a circling gesture with her finger that didn't seem as specific as the redhead imagined it should.

Orihime frowned, more disappointed that she didn't understand than anything else. "_This…_?"

Tatsuki huffed, realizing she'd have to clarify. "This _thing…_ with me and Ichigo," she said finally. "Are you really okay with it? Because I know you had a… well, had a thing for him once upon a time. And you two have been through a lot together, if what Ishida has mentioned is true, though he was very tight-lipped about the whole thing when I asked further… "

It was a rare sight to see Tatsuki babble. Orihime smiled because she'd already thought long and hard on this particular question. Admittedly she hadn't seen it coming- not at first. Even after she had a strong suspicion back at Urahara's shop and again after they'd first arrived in Soul Society, it took seeing them stumbling all over each other in the kitchen to finally confirm it. Neither of them had had much to smile about for a long time, both having lives fraught with anger, confrontation and disappointment. Seeing the two of them practically giddy in each other's company- her first instinct had been to protect that happiness at all costs. Only later, when she had a moment to herself, did she actually realize what it meant…

…Ichigo and Tatsuki wanted to be together. The fierce little fighter had been the one who'd finally broken through his walls- the walls that had shut out everyone else. She'd been the one to bring back that long-lost smile, without the aid of a cataclysmic event to do so. At one time she'd perhaps hoped that she herself… and then later it seemed Rukia might… how odd that it would be the feisty little tomboy. Somehow Orihime had thought they'd already eliminated this scenario long ago.

But apparently not, and it seemed as much a surprise to the two of them as it did to her. Orihime found it funny to see the typically confident girl suddenly so flustered in the presence of a boy she'd known for most of her life. And she was sure that Ichigo was going to have cramps in his cheeks from all the smiling he did around the little fighter. It was adorable beyond words, and though on a certain level she lamented an opportunity missed she knew that protecting her best friend's secret, her happiness, was the right thing to do. She wanted that for Tatsuki. And after she thought about it, she wanted that for Ichigo, too.

"…I mean, a week ago I didn't even know he liked me- I don't even think _he_ knew if he liked me! But it all just happened so fast! I mean, we're not… _you know_… but the other stuff- it's just… _sooo_… But anyway, the point is I don't think I could bear it if you weren't, you know, okay with it… Soooo…" Tatsuki finally slowed down, worry scrunching her face as she eyed her best friend. Orihime couldn't help but notice that she finally sounded like a teenaged girl for once.

"Tats-chan…" the girl in question bit her bottom lip nervously, "It's been a long while since I've seen you this happy and I know it's all because of Ichigo. And I'm certain you're the reason he's been so happy lately, too; in the time I've known him I don't think I've ever seen him act the way he does around you. I think it means that you two are supposed to be together. So that's what I want, and that's why I want to help you." When her friend's head dropped and her shoulders bounced Orihime worried she'd somehow said the wrong thing. "…Is… …is that okay?"

Tatsuki raised her head, still chuckling. "How ironic is it that I _want_ to hug you and can't right now?"

Orihime smiled and sat down right next to the girl. "Since when did you start following the rules again anyway?" she teased, intent on collecting her hug.

* * *

_The following day…_

Keigo had decided. After carefully weighing the pros and cons of the idea- including the very real possibility of risk to life, limb and certain masculine parts- he'd concluded that it had to be done. And since Mizuiro was the pollo grande, it was up to him…

…to check on Tatsuki.

Because the girl just hadn't been right for the last few days. Moody and short-tempered he could deal with. But ever since she'd been rescued from her rainstorm she'd been… Just. Plain. Weird. Nothing terribly overt, but since they'd been hanging out more prior to their Spirit World field trip there were just some things the boy couldn't ignore-

Like her perpetual state of distractedness- the girl couldn't concentrate for more than five seconds on anything before she'd be staring off into LaLa land, a wistful look on her face. Which was weird in itself 'cause Tatsuki didn't really do 'wistful'. Or the strange little scary smile that had recently replaced her typical tight-lipped purse. Prior to all of this, her neutral face had always held at least some hint of annoyance or exasperation. However, this new perpetual tug of the corners of her lips towards her cheeks… it was just not _normal_, and the more he saw it, the more Keigo grew afraid.

…Because he couldn't think of any reason that she'd be _cheerful_- life had recently dealt her a fairly shitty hand. And if she was resorting to bizarre mental gymnastics just to cope… Well, he felt like _someone_ ought to at least make sure she was okay. That she knew she had someone to talk to, if she wanted. He may not have had any reiatsu to spare, but an ear from a respectable distance? Totally in the bag.

As he ascended the steps Keigo thought he saw a flash of movement in the hallway above. Advancing quietly he saw Ichigo's back as the teen stealthily entered the nearest room… Tatsuki's room. _'Aw, did Ichigo get the same idea?'_ Then he noticed how slowly and quietly the shinigami in question had shut the door. _ 'Hmm… well someone's looking awfully suspicious…' _On a hunch Keigo tiptoed up to the door and flattened himself against the wall to listen.

He could just make out Tatsuki's confused voice, "Ichigo? What are you doing in here? It's the middle of the day." But instead of the anticipated sound of a head-slap he heard her lower her voice a little, "Did anyone see you?"

"Nah," he heard Ichigo reply. "Just thought I'd check in on you. You good?" Keigo thought that the guy's voice somehow sounded very strange.

She answered vaguely, "Yeeeeaaaah… I'm good…"

"You, uh… you sure?" Ichigo pressed.

The eavesdropping teen heard a high feminine laugh and it took a few seconds to process that it must have been Tatsuki, "Last I checked. Why? You worried I'll burn out again? Or are you coming with an _ulterior motive_?" Keigo had to shake himself. He assumed his mind went to the gutter on its own accord- no way was he actually hearing the deadly mistress of martial arts getting her flirt on. With _Ichigo_. Too absurd, even for him.

Nevertheless, he heard them move closer and fought the urge to push his ear against the door. Ichigo's voice dropped about an octave as he huskily murmured, "…Let's just say I'm willing to top off your tank for ya…"

* * *

Ichigo was one step away from pressing Tatsuki up against her door when the two suddenly heard a loud series of bumps followed by a yelp. He watched the lust swirling in her eyes dissipate into confusion as she blinked up at him. Not waiting for the question forming on her lips, he grabbed her by the arms and yanked her protectively behind him. Pulling the door open, he launched himself into the hallway scanning for the source of the troubling sound.

…And found it at the bottom of the stairs- Keigo crumpled on the floor with a crazed look on his face. Tatsuki tried to push past him to see but he held her at bay with a shielding arm- he still wasn't certain what was going on. Within moments many of the others arrived to investigate as well.

Rukia was the first to ask the boy on the floor, "Keigo, was that _you_?" Looking up the length of the stairs, she quickly caught sight of the two perched at the top.

Orihime leaned down next to the sputtering teen, concern clearly written on her face, "Oh, Asano-kun, are you alright?" Ishida was standing right behind her.

Recognizing the familiar antics of the boy, Renji exhaled a sigh of both annoyance and boredom as he asked no one in particular, "What's wrong with him? Why does he have to be such a spazz?" Chad smiled silently.

But Keigo only pointed dumbly up at Ichigo and Tatsuki, exclaiming in a voice far too loud for even the hallway, "Because _they_ are doing it!"

"_What_? What are you talking about?" Rukia squeaked, eyes wide in shock.

"He snuck into her room! And she didn't punch him in the face!" Doubtful looks narrowed in his direction, the only exception being the suddenly all too familiar glare of one pissed off karateka. Tatsuki tried to pin Keigo down with that 'Don't-you-dare'-thousand-yard-stare but he couldn't seem to stop himself, driven verbally forward by a gossip force far more powerful than the threat of a horrific beating. He screeched, "I swear! He offered to take her tank top off!"

Ichigo sputtered, "_What_? That's not what I… Jeez, Keigo!"

If the teen in question had been searching for Tatsuki's angered scowl he could now find it firmly in place on her face, "I can't believe you were spying on us! Argh! You are _soooo_ dead, Asano…"

Ichigo shot back, "And we weren't _doing_ anything, you idiot!" Glancing back at Tatsuki he lamely added, "She's not even wearing a tank top. Dumbass."

Ishida cleared his throat before muttering, "Well, that's not entirely true…" He glanced down at Orihime whom he could sense wanted to disagree, because Tatsuki was in fact wearing long-sleeves; thus he hurried to clarify his meaning. "…You certainly can't expect us to believe you were sneaking into Arisawa's room for a 'chat'? Because your actions for the past few days would indicate otherwise."

Orihime's face fell instantly, as did Tatsuki's. But Ichigo just scowled at the young Quincy; o_f course_ Ishida would have noticed something. _'Damned Sherlock-fucking-Holmes.'_ He closed his eyes in frustration as he heard Renji saying, "Damn, guess that means the spazz was right for once…"

Their secret was out. He could only imagine what that meant for them. Perhaps there was a way to control the damage? The weight of a nearby presence pulled Ichigo from his thoughts. As he opened his eyes, they seemed to gravitate towards the sight he feared the most-

Perched on Chad's shoulder was a motionless black cat, her golden eyes staring unblinking up at him.

'_Shit.'_

* * *

A/N: Okay, so some fun stuff in there. Yep, the secret is out which will change things for our intrepid couple. And did you think I forgot about those wrinkles and action I promised? Oh no no no, dear readers. More to come soon.

Please let me know you're out there! I'll say this for the new review system- it's convenient! So push the button so I know you're still out there! Many thanks!


	11. Defiant

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: Over 100 reviews! *Fist pump* Thanks so much for being so patient and sticking with this story. I have great things in mind for it but sometimes getting it onto the page the way I want can be a challenge. Many thanks to Nasha Rei-Kun, kiwi4me, Jmamill, Prenumbra, hornyzombie, 1dmp2, YellowWomanontheBrink, jesi ki kage, Marie Darkholme, KatzeNoel and batla for their kind reviews of the previous chapter. This one's for you guys!

Okay, we last left off with Keigo accidentally blowing the whistle on Ichigo and Tatsuki's secret relationship. Who wants to see the aftermath of that little reveal? You do?! Well then, read on…

* * *

Chapter 11: Defiant

_The common area of Shiba Inn, following the discovery…_

Ichigo and Tatsuki sat silently at opposite ends of one of the common room's couches like two small children called in to the principal's office. Ichigo wasn't about to stare meekly at his feet but he also didn't feel quite bold enough to look directly at Tatsuki. So instead he watched his sensei as she slowly paced the space in front of them.

Yoruichi was entirely too quiet. Periodically she would glance up at them, eyes drifting like a largo metronome between the two. But then the pacing would resume. Ichigo didn't know how long they'd been like that but he'd passed 'anxious' about ten minutes ago and was now officially bored. He just couldn't bring himself to feel bad about the situation…

…Not when being with Tatsuki felt so right. His gut just felt so certain about her, and so far his gut had never let him down. Seated on his left, the girl was just within his peripheral sight and he hazarded a glance. Her back was rigid and her eyes were forward, ears perked as if anticipating an imminent order or reprimand. He noticed the strong motionless set of her form and had to admire the discipline years of martial arts training had undoubtedly instilled in her. It was training he'd only benefited marginally from and he found himself regretting quitting all those years ago. Perhaps it would have made him a better Shinigami, a better soldier.

But he was who he was, disciplinary flaws and all. He argued to himself that he'd never been one for following orders- how could anyone expect him to start now? And he'd thought about how this was going to go, how this conversation would eventually play out- with him in some horribly compromising position as Yoruichi interrogated him with questions like _'And just how long has this been going on?'_ with his reply being something along the lines of, _'Almost immediately after you told me not to, sensei.'_

The wait was agonizing; he hoped she'd do _something,_ just so he had something to react to. As if anticipating his thoughts, the plum-haired woman finally spoke, "This newest development is…" She eyed each of them in turn before finishing, "…_disappointing_."

When Ichigo opened his mouth to protest she held up a single finger, effectively halting him. "I'm not interested in any excuses or explanations- you're teenagers, for God's sake. Breaking rules seems to be an ingrained part of human puberty. However, nothing you say changes the fact that what is done cannot be undone."

He watched Tatsuki pale visibly as she swallowed hard. He was reminded of the first time he'd been on the receiving end of one of Yoruichi's tirades, remembering how shit-scared he'd been of the shape-shifting former captain. He fought the natural urge to reach a hand for hers- he knew she wouldn't take it, didn't need it. Instead her sharp brown eyes remained stubbornly frontward, jaw set as if ready to take a blow.

Hoping to deflect some of the focus from her, he asked, "So then why are we here? I already know you think I screwed up." Under the pacing woman's narrowed glare, he added defiantly, "I'll handle it."

"_Handle_ it?!" She suddenly stopped, utter disbelief on her face. "What in the Thirteen Courts makes you think this is a situation you could even begin to _'handle'_ on your own? You defied a direct order from Captain Unohana regarding a perceived threat to the Shinigami!-"

He interjected, "-She's not a threat!"

But she quickly squashed his line of thinking, "It doesn't matter! It's what they believe! After what you've learned about the Central 46 are you planning on thumbing your nose and telling them to just _'Deal with it'_? Is that your plan? Hmm?!"

He blinked, faltering, "Well… no, but-"

She huffed audibly, "While I am perfectly content to let you wander your way into and out of your own messes, Ichigo, I am not about to let you drag an innocent human into this with you. Arisawa does not have your power or reputation to bolster her- no offense-" the last part was spoken directly to a bewildered Tatsuki before the woman zeroed in on her student again, "Can you guarantee her safety in all of this?"

His eyes suddenly flew to Tatsuki whom he noticed was finally starting to whither. _Shit_. He hadn't really considered her role in all of this. His confidence was faltering- suddenly he wasn't entirely certain of his ability to protect her if things started to go sideways. A familiar twinge of anxiety twisted deep in his chest.

"I didn't-" he began to admit but then cut himself off. Huffing in defeat he finally asked in an equal mix of frustration and pleading, "Then what the hell _am_ I supposed to do, Yoruichi?! This is all my fault! Again!"

At his words she paused, her entire demeanor suddenly softening. Tilting her head she eyed him more like a cat than a human, "You mistake me, Ichigo."

He blinked in surprise as she explained, "My intentions are not to chastise you for essentially falling prey to the same emotions young people have been surrendering to for millennia. While I did have my hopes that you would at least _try_ to head my warnings, I'll admit that ultimately my expectations were low. You are nothing if not reliably and spectacularly reckless (again, I blame your youth)…" the sardonic purse to her lips was almost humorous.

Ichigo scrunched his brow, confused, "But… I thought you were here to yell at us…"

At that the dark-skinned woman crossed her arms moodily, "I swear- some days I think you believe that my entire existence is for the sole purpose of nagging you. But no; my greatest concern has always been the safety and protection of Arisawa and your other friends. That hasn't changed, even though you seem dead set on making things more difficult at every turn."

At that Arisawa finally spoke, though in perhaps the quietest voice Ichigo had heard from her, "I'm sorry, Shihoin-san. I should accept my fair share of the blame in this. It's not Ichigo's fault…"

Ichigo figured that, given the circumstances, making eye contact with the former captain was the bravest thing he'd seen Tatsuki do. The young girl's eyes were bright and shining as she looked steadfastly at his sensei, but he knew no tears would fall.

Yoruichi seemed to notice this as well, "Dear girl… You're a lovely little thing, aren't you? And strong, too, from what I see. And so much more. It's not difficult to see why he chose you…" As Tatsuki flushed in embarrassment Yoruichi gave a smirky smile to her student, "I quite like this one, Ichigo."

In a blink she was serious again as she continued, "We may have to change the way we deal with the Council from here on out. Do not ask them to measure the worth of the life of a single human girl against that of even the lowest Shinigami in Seireitei- I'm afraid you won't like the answer."

Ichigo found himself nodding, finally grasping her message, "I see…"

"And it will be important now more than ever- Hanataro's replacement is due to arrive any time now and I have a feeling they will not be as… _accommodating_ as their predecessor. Unohana-taicho will likely send someone affiliated with Squad 12; We'll have to be careful about the information revealed to this person given their probable affiliation with Kurotsuchi-taicho."

Ichigo nodded, "Yeah, I get it. So what does that mean? You told me earlier that you couldn't explain it but I think you'd better try."

Yoruichi raised a dark eyebrow at him, "It means there can be no more surprises. I need to know everything. Now."

He balked, "_Everything_?!"

"Yes everything. Think of me like a lawyer- I'm not required to divulge all the facts of the case, however I certainly cannot defend a position if I don't know all of the circumstances."

"We'll tell you everything you want to know, Shihoin-san," Tatsuki murmured with surprising conviction.

The woman seemed pleased, "Good, because the devil lies in the details and I'm not in the mood for any more ambushes. So…" and suddenly Ichigo saw a strangely familiar guile creep into the dark woman's face as she dropped all too comfortably on the facing sofa, pulling her knees up like it was a slumber party, "…Who kissed whom?"

Tatsuki finally squeaked.

* * *

_In the kitchen…_

When Uryu entered the room he found Sado sitting at the long table, massive elbows propped on its hard surface as the large boy steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. The one eye not covered by his bangs settled on the Quincy and Uryu knew…

…He wanted to talk. The irony of this was not lost on him- everyone knew Sado was a man of few words. He took a seat across from the giant and waited.

"What you said to Ichigo at the bottom of the stairs…" the large teen lowered his arms to rest his gently clasped hands on the table, "…You knew, didn't you?"

The Quincy replied, "I had a strong suspicion."

Sado nodded subconsciously, "I think I know how. From Arisawa." He watched his spectacled friend as he spoke quietly, "Lately she's needed more. You must have noticed because even I noticed, though I don't think she does."

Uryu nodded back, "I've noticed." He thought for a moment before continuing, "And I agree. I don't think she realizes what she's doing. I'm not certain if her ability to absorb reiatsu has simply grown stronger without her knowledge or if she truly requires more to sustain herself. It might be a combination of the two. It would have been something I would have brought up to Hanataro were he still here."

Sado seemed to relax a little at this, "I wanted to tell someone, too, but wasn't sure who. I didn't want to mention it to her- she seems frightened enough by her condition as it is. But perhaps this is something Yoruichi-san should be made aware of…"

"Yes, I'm afraid you're right; this is something she should know." He frowned at his next thought, "We may need to mention it to Inoue as well- I have a feeling that she participated in their little ruse, allowing Ichigo to charge Arisawa in her place. She may not be aware of Arisawa's higher energy requirements."

The giant lowered his voice for his next question, "Ishida, do you think it's happening because of Ichigo? Because of their contact?"

Uryu sighed, "We can't be certain. However, it certainly seems more than a coincidence that Arisawa's ability to absorb energy increased shortly after contact with the person with the most reiatsu among us. I'd say the likelihood of a correlation is too significant to ignore."

Sado nodded again, "So we should tell Yoruichi…"

"…And warn Inoue, yes. _Discretely_."

Even Sado couldn't help rolling his eyes- did the quiet giant do things any other way? Uryu found himself chuckling, mind eased now that they were in agreement. Still, the large man shook his head, "Ichigo and Tatsuki… It certainly took them long enough." Uryu noted how his voice seemed to grow softer as if recalling a memory. "Back when Ichigo and I first became friends I saw it- how close they were- even when they didn't. But then it never happen; I figured they'd missed their chance. Guess it only took them a few more years…"

The Quincy found himself nodding again, "…And a trip to another dimension. And a rainstorm, I suspect." When Sado quirked his one visible eye Uryu added, "It's funny… You asked if it was Arisawa that gave them away to me. It wasn't."

The large teen's confusion deepened, "No? Then Ichigo?"

The Quincy sighed again, "Sharing a room with him and Mizuiro has been more than a little enlightening. He was very restless when we first arrived, to the point I wondered if he was sleeping at all. However, over the last few days he's calmed noticeably; he's seemed far less tortured but certainly more secretive…"

Sado raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed by the deduction until Uryu eventually flushed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "…Um, that… and the fact that Kurosaki mutters in his sleep…"

* * *

_Back in the common area…_

For an hour Ichigo and Tatsuki sat recounting the events leading up to their relationship to a ridiculously attentive Yoruichi, starting with Tatsuki's attempted abduction and ending with Keigo's clamorous trip down the stairs. Both teens noted the woman's rapt attention as well as her obvious glee at hearing the details of their story unfold. Tatsuki seemed to let her guard down a little more as the time passed.

When Yoruichi finally took her leave it was with an unshakeable smile; Ichigo could have sworn that right before the woman left she was resisting the urge to hug his new girlfriend…

_Girlfriend._ Was that what Tatsuki was? If so, then she was his first one. Slaying ghost monsters and crossing dimensions he could handle, but a girlfriend? Admittedly he was out of his element in that respect. He chuckled at his luck- he didn't have a clue how to be _a_ boyfriend, but somehow he knew he could be _her_ boyfriend… For Tatsuki, all he had to be was himself.

"And just what are you laughing about, chuckles?" Tatsuki asked, drawing his attention. After his sensei had left the girl had finally completely relaxed and had scooted next to him on the sofa. Even with their secret now revealed, she still wouldn't let him touch her in the presence of others- they hadn't even touched in front of Orihime.

But they were alone now. Seizing an opportunity, he grabbed her legs and tugged them into his lap as he answered, "Just thinking that that went way better than I would've thought." Then he pulled her closer until the bottoms of her thighs were crossed over the tops of his.

She laughed at his affectionate gesture but quickly acquiesced, sinking comfortably against him and tucking her shoulder neatly into his as though they'd been fit like a puzzle, "I'll agree with you on that one. Your boss lady is both creepy and scary."

He wrapped an arm behind her and gave her side a squeeze, "Yeah, she is, but you didn't look scared at all. You were so brave! Trust me, I know."

She chuckled sadly, staring at her knees, "Pshh! I didn't feel brave. I thought I was gonna pee my pants at first. But I guess we all do what we have to." She sighed heavily, shrugging against him.

He shook his head. "You know, I was ready to take responsibility for what happened in the storm. I can't believe you told her that _you_ kissed _me_!" and he delighted when her mischievous smile returned.

"Well, I did! Technically I kissed you first."

"But that was before Spirit World- it doesn't count," he argued, determined to make a point.

The feel of her hand clasping the front of his shirt dragged his eyes back to her, the mesmeric little smile playing across her lips beguiling him as she replied, "Oh really? Your face didn't look like it didn't count."

Instantly he was lost in that smile, in her dark dancing eyes. His train of thought abandoned, he simply muttered, "You're amazing…"

Surprised by his words she blinked up at him, head quirking to the side, "No, you're just easily impressed." Using her hold on his shirt she pulled him closer, but stopped just before making contact.

He'd closed his eyes in anticipation, so eager that he was still slightly surprised when he heard and felt her familiar whisper against his lips, "Um… Can I?-" He answered by quickly closing the distance himself, claiming the kiss she'd been asking for.

It was always there- an electrical sort of spark that shocked pleasantly through his body, humming through his veins, pulsing with an energy that felt uniquely like the girl whom he was rapidly falling for. She was quickly becoming a high he was all too happy to chase; he vaguely wondered if this was what addiction felt like. Except he couldn't find a down side to Tatsuki.

When she broke the kiss her eyes remained closed as though she was lingering on the hypnotic sensation. "This is…" she sighed heavily, "…kinda perfect."

However, Ichigo couldn't help but note the hint of sadness in her voice. He lowered his gaze to her face, eying her suspiciously, "Well, don't sound so excited about it…"

"No, I just mean-" She cut herself off, thinking of how to explain, "This… _thing_… with us. It's more than… I mean, it's better than… It's really good," she finally mumbled out.

He chuckled, "Of course it's good. Are you surprised?"

She rolled her eyes, "Well, yeah! A little! I never thought…" he raised an eyebrow as he watched her blush across her nose, "…that we could ever have this. That I could ever have this. I just wish it could last…"

Her words instantly puzzled him, "Why can't it?" A dark doubt suddenly curled in his stomach.

Her voice softened, almost as if she were afraid to say her feelings aloud, "…Because stuff this good doesn't happen to me. I'm not naïve enough to think that this can last. Life always ends up screwing me over."

"Good thing we're in the afterlife then," he replied without missing a beat, hoping to lighten things. He didn't want to think of the small ring of truth her words carried.

She punched him in the chest only partly playfully, "I'm serious! Haven't you ever been in a situation where you just _knew_ it was too good to last?" Her face grew somber as she stared up at him.

He shook his head, his fingers stroking across the thin material covering her knee, "Only every day, Tats. I feel like I've been waiting half my teenage life for the other shoe to drop. I've got everybody telling me how strong and unique I am… But to me it means that it's only a matter of time before someone stronger and more unique come to challenge that. That's why I'm glad we're here now. I know I don't deserve this, don't deserve to be as happy as I've been here with you these past few days-"

There was a quiet desperation in her voice as she cut him off, "-But Ichigo you _know_ it can't last forever; Now that our secret is out they'll be lining up to pull us apart."

He actually snorted. "Not to brag, Tats, but I don't know of any force in this world- or any world- that could keep me away from you now that I have you. But even if it all falls apart tomorrow… we're here now. And to me this moment feels like forever…"

He was dead serious, and as Tatsuki's eyes scanned his face she looked about as surprised and embarrassed as he'd ever seen her. Finding the reassurance she needed from him, she finally exhaled a shaky breath, tension ebbing as she cuddled closer pillowing her head on his chest.

"Jeez that was cheesy," she groused, and he could hear the smirk in her voice. He smiled to himself, resting his chin on the top of her head. It didn't matter- none of it mattered when they were like this. He heard her ask wistfully, "So when did you get so good with words anyway, Ichigo?"

He shrugged, chuckling, "Shit, I don't know," and she laughed- a genuine carefree laugh that brought a calming peace to his heart. To his delight he felt her wrap her free arm around his torso. In response he snuck his fingers under the hem of her shirt to rest them against the skin at her waist.

His brain was reeling, and before he knew it he'd blurted out, "Keigo scared the shit out of me."

"Mmm, why?" she slowly asked, a lazy tone in her voice.

"Because I thought someone had come to hurt you. I'd snuck in your room; no one was supposed to know I was there. You were supposed to be alone." His hands against her firmed as he admitted this fear.

"Mmm… I can take care of myself," she replied sleepily against his shirt.

"I know," he lied. He couldn't see burdening her with the knowledge of what might truly be out there. Reflexively he kissed the top of her head. Then he smiled into her hair as his brain switched gears, "But I'm glad he found us."

He hadn't been aware he'd been listening to her breathing pattern until she stopped. "Um… why is that?" She asked stiffly.

"Because now our friends know about us. I didn't like lying to them about how I feel about you. I'm glad they all know now."

To his surprise, Tatsuki's arm around him tightened in an odd sort of squeeze as she muttered a single word, "Idiot…" Then she relaxed against him as if nothing had happened. Still, though he couldn't be sure, he thought he felt his shirt dampen beneath her cheek.

* * *

Renji stood in the doorway of the inn's common room, openly watching the two oblivious teens cuddled quietly on one of the sofas. Just days earlier he'd secretly witnessed a similar scene. Except now the difference- the contact- changed _everything_. _Ok, so maybe I was wrong… sort of…_

So their greatest asset had directly defied an order from one of the preeminent Captains of the Gotei 13, and by extension the entire Central 46. _It could be worse, though at the moment I'm at a loss as to how…_

Nothing came to mind, short of a thousand Menos Grandes suddenly falling from the sky. Scratch that- he was pretty sure even that would be small potatoes compared to Kurosaki's impulsive stunt. Not that he could really blame the kid- Renji could recall performing his own fair share of stupid in his youth for the affections of a girl…

And under the circumstances he could see why the kid had fallen so hard- the tough little fighter seemed tailor-made for his brash and impetuous friend. Smart, brave, and certainly not hard on the eyes, Renji still remembered the surprising decking the little girl had dished him at Urahara's. _Not bad, Ichigo; she might be a keeper…_

A presence behind him brought Renji back; recognizing his companion he winced. _Better get it over with…_ Sighing heavily, he muttered, "So do you wanna say it now or are you gonna let the circumstances speak for themselves?"

"Why voice what is evident? I'm not a fan of redundancy," Rukia quietly replied.

Renji nodded slowly to himself, "Alright then. Any idea what's next since you called it?"

"We'll just have to wait a bit longer for more of the facts to play out, I think."

"Yeah, ok…"

He felt her begin to walk away before she paused, "Hey Renji?"

"Yeah, Rukia?" _Here it comes…_

"I told you so." And she disappeared.

_Yeah ya did._

* * *

_The next morning…_

As if beckoned by mere mention, Hanataro's replacement arrived from Seireitei the following morning. To Tatsuki's dismay Ichigo had openly frowned at the site of an austere young woman, introduced to her as the Vice-Captain from the infamous 12th Division. Kurotsuchi Nemu- part of her name sounded familiar, though Tatsuki couldn't place it.

At her arrival the entire atmosphere of the Inn seemed to change. The Shinigami seemed to stand more formally, though she was certain that at least one of them- Abarai, she thought- was of the same rank as this woman. Uryu, Sado and Orihime had assembled around her like bodyguards and Ichigo placed himself in front of the whole party during formal introductions. Yoruichi was cool and distant. It all gave Tatsuki the sense that this woman was perhaps dangerous; at the very least she surmised she could not trust her.

Odd since she appeared normal enough- young, like Rukia (though she was learning that with the Shinigami looks could be deceiving in the age department), with long black hair and dull eyes. She seemed to have only one facial expression- one of flat disinterest- and Tatsuki wondered if the woman was reluctant to be here in the first place.

Her friends were loath to leave her with the Vice-Captain, however the situation seemed to be beyond anyone's control. Everyone exchanged meaningful glances with her before departing, of which the woman appeared oblivious. Ichigo seemed to be radiating tension and had to be forcefully pushed out by a scowling Rukia. Yoruichi, the last to leave, gave the girl a tight smile, but the helpless anxiety in her eyes haunted Tatsuki long after she'd gone.

"Sit down," the woman commanded as soon as the two were alone in the common room. Startled by her bluntness, Tatsuki sank obediently onto the nearest sofa; suddenly she seemed to notice that not only did this expansive room have several large doors but that they were all closed for the first time since her arrival.

Vice-Captain Kurostuchi then produced a thick bound report and opened it to one of the first pages. "You are Arisawa Tatsuki, 16 years of age, born July 17th, of Karakura Town, Japan. Is that correct?" the woman asked.

Blinking for a second, the young girl eventually both nodded and spoke her answer, "Yes."

"You are an acquaintance of Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo. Ten days ago you were among the party that traveled to the Spirit World through a Senkaimon created by exiled former Captain Urahara Kisuke, under a Temporary Order of Asylum, now expired."

"Yes…" Tatsuki found the direction of this one-sided conversation highly redundant.

The woman was no longer reading the report as she spoke, "This Order was submitted based upon a supposed attempted abduction of you and two additional acquaintances of Kurosaki-san by Arrancar sent from Hueco Mundo."

At that Tatsuki bristled, "…Supposedly? Is there _doubt_ that I was snatched off the street and nearly dragged through a giant hole in the sky by an evil fanged monster?"

"The reports have thus far proven unverifiable," the woman stated simply.

"Well, I'd be happy to _verify_ for you and your bosses _exactly_ what happened before I came to this place…" the girl offered icily. It had taken only a span of mere moments for Tatsuki to begin forming her own opinion of this new visitor. She was starting to see what the others had been hinting at.

The Vice-Captain only replied, "Your personal accounts are entirely unnecessary and irrelevant at this time; however your offer of clarification is appreciated, as is your compliance to this examination. The primary purpose of my presence here is to continue the investigation into the development of your unclassified condition."

"You mean the condition where I lose reiatsu to the air and my friends have to replenish it to keep me alive?" Tatsuki inquired glibly.

"Yes. Preliminary reports indicate that as compensation you are able to absorb the reiatsu of other spirit beings simply through touch. Such an ability poses a potential threat to all Shinigami; I have been tasked with the duty of fully investigating this threat."

Tatsuki fought the urge to roll her eyes, "You know, I'm finding it pretty ridiculous that you all think of _me_ as a threat. I hope you won't overlook the part where I'd probably die if not for this 'ability' as you call it."

Kurotsuchi did not seem the least off-put but her comment, "All the more reason to gain full knowledge of your ability. A Shinigami's power is wielded during combat and in situations of danger; they maintain singular control over their powers. Conversely, your acquisition of your ability is new and uncertain. Yet your immediate survival depends upon your ability to replenish your reiatsu, and unlike a Shinigami you are unable to suppress or control it." The young woman looked her dead in the eye, face expressionless as she finished, "This makes you a threat to all spirit beings, the severity of which will be determined by your capacity to absorb reiatsu. Thus you are an inherent enemy to this world."

Tatsuki blinked, stunned; the woman's immediate candor was shocking. Slowly it was becoming apparent that, though Kurotsuchi's words were appropriate enough, albeit blunt, her body and face demonstrated no corresponding emotion- no smiles or frowns, no confused head tilt or sympathetic nod. Something was definitely off about this woman…

Suppressing the urge to ball her fists, Tatsuki murmured, "It sounds like you've already passed judgment on me. So what's the point of even doing this exam?"

"In such a situation as this a threat assessment is necessary to determine what countermeasures may be required for neutralization."

Tatsuki instantly paled, "Neutralization? Oh, awesome. As in assessing when and how you might need to kill me?" Keeping her voice even and calm was almost impossible.

"Not if you are as benign as you claim. Your questions delay us. I will answer any others you may have but at this juncture it is imperative that we move forward with the examination. Do you have any objections?"

"Am I allowed to have any objections?" Tatsuki quipped.

The Vice-Captain's tone never wavered, "Refusal to participate in the examination would constitute a Declaration of War against the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…"

"Crap," she huffed. Collecting her wits, Tatsuki took a calming breath and bolstered herself, "Yeah, no objections then. Let's just get this over with. Where do we start?"

Glancing down once again at the report in her lap, Kurotsuchi Nemu flipped a few pages before answering, "I must examine the logs of your charges firsthand. Officer Yamada's entries are incomplete for the preceding four days. Please present them."

Tatsuki fumbled for the small log book she'd been given by Hanataro, which she found she'd been sitting on. Handing it over gingerly she apologized, "I… haven't been logging for the past few days. After Hanataro left, I guess I kinda… slacked off…" Her stomach sank a little as she spoke.

Taking the book, Nemu flipped to the final few entries and compared them to her report. "Unacceptable. I must have a full array of data upon which to base all calculations. Maximal variables must be considered."

"I'm sorry! I didn't realize how important it was. I suppose I could guess…"

At that the woman raised her eyes from the report to Tatsuki, and unreadable stare locking her gaze. Despite the lack of emotion expressed Tatsuki imagined that this was as close to incredulity as this woman could get. "_Guessing_ is unacceptable. Measures must be precise."

Tatsuki nodded vigorously, "Right. I'm sorry. I'll log everything from now on. Please don't write that down as an act of war."

The woman paused, then looked back at the report. "It cannot be helped. We will extrapolate the missing data from your future entries." Then she flipped a few more pages. "Your medical history is incomplete. I require additional information from you."

Tatsuki immediately recalled the ceaseless questions Hanataro had barraged her with and inwardly groaned; she couldn't think of a single thing about herself she hadn't told the inquisitive medic. "You mean it's not all in your report there? Hanataro was very thorough-"

"We will begin with your onset of menarchy."

"What?!" Tatsuki sputtered. Hanataro had _not_ asked that particular question.

"I shall clarify- at what age did you begin menstruating?"

"I know what it means! Do you really need to know that?!"

"It is essential to the completion of your medical record. Such data must be included when calculating your physiologic profile."

Pushing down her embarrassment at such a personal question she rolled her eyes again, "Fine… I was thirteen… and a half." When the woman looked up at her pointedly Tatsuki offered an explanation, "I did martial arts- my mom said it put it off because I trained so hard."

"Do you not recall the date?"

Tatsuki frowned, "No, I do not recall the date. I recall that my dad had to pick me up from practice and take me to the drug store. It was so embarrassing. It was some time after the Spring Tournament…" When the woman continued to stare Tatsuki groused, "Spring! April! That's all I got."

The woman jotted in the margins of the report, "That will have to do. Next question: At what age did you first have intercourse?"

Tatsuki's cheeks instantly colored pink, "Okay I _know_ you're making that one up! Why in the world would you need to know that?!"

Nemu didn't even blink. "Are you refusing to answer?"

"No…" a guarded Tatsuki replied. "It's just a stupid question! I haven't had… 'intercourse' yet. I'm only sixteen."

"Interesting…" Nemu stated, though Tatsuki doubted her sincerity. She wasn't certain how 'threat assessment' had evolved to 'first sexual encounter' but her patience was growing thin.

"In that case we will move on to the next question: Do you consider yourself heterosexual or homosexual?"

Tatsuki threw her hands up, "Oh, for the love of… Look, Vice-Captain Kurotsuchi, I'm not trying to declare war but are these personal questions really _necessary_?! I thought the Gotei 13 was concerned about my condition. Your questions make me think they're just a bunch of pervs delving into stuff that's none of their business! If you want to ask me probing questions for your research I understand that; I'm as curious to find out what's going on with me as anyone. But I gotta draw the line somewhere… my sex life- or lack thereof- is off limits!"

As the young girl settled down she finally noticed that her interviewer had been passively staring at her for her entire rant. Suddenly uncomfortable, Tatsuki crossed her arms over her chest and sat back against the sofa, staring back at the woman, waiting for her to make the next move.

"Very well," Nemu said, finally breaking eye contact. "I will deem such data nonessential so that we may move on to more pressing matters."

"Thanks. Feel free to ask me my favorite color or what dish I cook the best…"

"I do not understand. Such questions are irrelevant to this investigation."

Tatsuki freely rolled her eyes again, a gesture she now realized was completely lost on her interviewer. "Then what's on your list there? That's _not_ off limits?"

Nemu paused, looked down to scan the report in her lap, flipped two entire pages and then asked, "What types of animals have you had as pets?"

Tatsuki merely huffed and threw her head back against the sofa so she could stare up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long afternoon.

* * *

A/N: An odd chapter, I know. I actually sat on it for a few extra weeks because the last section with Nemu proved harder than I thought- I wanted to portray her as almost robotic but in a somewhat humorous way despite the seriousness of the situation. That and I've heard she's a closet perv, haha! So anyway I couldn't sit on it forever so here ya go. It seems I can't avoid the mushy stuff- it just keeps sneaking back in! But I'm excited for the next chapter because fun things are going to happen! So stay tuned, and please let me know what you thought of this chapter! Til next time :)


	12. Anticipating

**Touched**

Disclaimer: Creator Tite Kubo owns the manga and anime Bleach and its characters. No offense or infringement is intended.

A/N: I'M (still) ALIVE! Such a long and unexplained absence is really inexcusable (I'm sure I've said this already at least once before) but a whole 10 months?! I'm so sorry, dear readers. All I can say is that events happen in our lives and sometimes we have to put our beloved hobbies (that don't pay the bills) on hold. I never meant to step away from this cherished story for so long, even with a period of lack of inspiration at points. But every now and again, 'review' 'following' and 'favorite' notifications would sneak into my inbox. I knew I had to pick up this story and continue on.

And that's why I have to give many thanks to those of you who sent reviews for the previous chapters; **kiwi4me**, **liferscove2118**, **TheSkandranon**, **hornyzombie**, **Troglodytarum**, **KatzeNoel**, **jesi ki kage**, **YellowWomanontheBrink**, **Kiss-Kiss-Kiss-Goodbye**, **Szayel's Angel**, **JJ**, **KarinBlaze**, **Evan Glaser**, **Bkwamper**, **A Fan Of Yours**, **Elvenlaughter**, and **Music-chan loves anime**- the reviews for chapter 11 were so awesome! I hope at least a few of you, as well as some of my older fans, are still out there reading! Can't blame anyone if they never pick up this story again, but I'm hoping folks will return to this little gem.

So anyway, that's enough of my emotional spewing. When we last left off, Nemu had paid our dear girl a visit, taking over Hanataro's role for research. A hearing is set before the Central 46 and we'll get a peek into that. But first, Tatsuki has some questions for her new boyfriend. Enjoy the newest chapter!

* * *

Chapter 12: Anticipating

_The following evening, day #11, Ichigo's room…_

"God, I'm so glad that woman is finally gone!" Tatsuki exclaimed. She was lying on her back across Ichigo's bedroll, staring up at his ceiling as he'd done so many nights before.

Seated at the small writing desk nearby, Ichigo was so engrossed with his scribbled notes that he barely heard her. "Who? Nemu?" he asked absently. Thinking of another point he quickly jotted it down on his growing list.

"Uh, yeah. Dude, I have never had someone so all up in my business before! All the questions! And I had to charge with Uryu yesterday because she wouldn't leave me alone! She sat there and watched us the entire time! Uryu was _less than thrilled_… It was just bizarre!"

Half hearing her gripes, he still couldn't help but smirk to himself, "Not a fan of having your very own stalker?"

"Yeah, not especially. She tried to follow me into the bathroom," the girl groused. Guiltily he hoped that her complaining was running its course- he really needed to concentrate. But after a few quiet moments she blurted out, "So there's something up with her, right? The Vice-Captain? She's like a Fem-Bot or something?"

At that Ichigo paused, brows furrowing as he considered her words, "You know, I don't really know but I've had my suspicions. I think her father, Captain Kurostuchi, may have created her in his lab somehow. He's brilliant and insane- totally sick in the head. I wouldn't put it past him."

Tatsuki made a distasteful sound before adding, "Well, that's just creepy…" under her breath. At length the room fell to silence and he slipped easily back into his original train of thought. He was about to jot down yet another point when she interrupted, "Ichigo, what are you doing over there?"

"Making notes," he replied. "I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to say at your hearing before the Central 46 tomorrow," he added quietly.

He heard Tatsuki roll onto her side as she adjusted her position. He was certain he could feel her eyes on the back of his head as she finally focused on him. "Do you _have_ to go? Couldn't you just stay here… with me?"

Ichigo stared down stubbornly at his notes, "Everyone agrees it'll be way better if I'm there." He subconsciously gulped, knowing he was downplaying it- in reality he and Yoruichi knew that if he wasn't there Tatsuki didn't stand a chance.

The young girl bit her lip self-consciously. "I don't even want to go there," she muttered. "I'm fine right here… with the Shibas, and you… guys…"

Ichigo sighed, shaking his head, "It's not about getting you in there anymore, Tatsuki. It's about making sure they leave us alone. It's about making sure they let us protect you."

She huffed, annoyed. "I don't need protecting while I'm here, do I? We've been here almost two weeks and nothing's happened. I think you're worrying too much…" she grumped.

He muttered absently, "When it comes to the shit I've seen, there's no such thing…" Too late the weight of his words registered and he finally glanced over at her. Tatsuki had become pensively silent.

She was staring pointedly down at his covers, fingers playing with the material, "The things you've seen… Jeez, no wonder you're so freaked. But Ichigo, really, it's just me," she shrugged. "It's still so crazy that there's such a fuss over little ol' me…" she finally peered up through her lashes at him.

He was looking over his shoulder at her, trying not to be distracted by the sight of her lying on his bed staring up at him from those bottomless eyes. Something about her petite form stretched out on top of his covers proved more tantalizing than he'd thought. Gulping down his less-than-innocent thoughts he offered, "I know you're not used to it, Tats, but, given the circumstances, you're kind of a big deal," and he shot her a wry smile.

She only frowned at him, "No I'm not! I'm just plain old Tatsuki…" but then her eyebrows huddled together, "…Succubus Edition." She propped herself up on outstretched arms, "…Damn, you're probably right. I keep forgetting about the whole 'threat to this entire world' thing…"

He sighed, returning his attention to his notes. It wasn't until he felt the weight of her arms against the tops of his shoulders that he realized she'd risen from his bed. He felt her lean against his back and that of the small wooden chair in which he was seated. He shuddered slightly as the tips of her hair tickled his ear as she settled her chin where his neck met his shoulder; it was the same spot the strap for Zangetsu usually rested. He shifted his papers so that she couldn't read his scrawl from over his shoulder.

He could hear the displeasure plainly in her voice as it echoed into his ear, "I don't know why you're so engrossed over here. I mean, my options are pretty clear… Best case scenario: they deem me harmless and leave me the hell alone- though I'll still never be permitted inside their gates. Worst case scenario: I'm deemed public enemy number one and they order my immediate execution…" Her words trailed off as her voice grew quieter. Ichigo felt the weight of her arms leave him as she suddenly stood up. "Oh shit…"

He finally dropped the papers on the desk, shaking his head, "Tats, don't worry. I'll never let it get to that."

"No that's not it…" she grumbled. The frustration in her tone was evident, "I've kind of accepted the notion of them wanting to kill me. No it's just…"

"Something worse?" Ichigo was about to turn towards her when he felt his chair pulled back several feet. Before he could protest, Tatsuki had placed herself between him and the desk.

"Well, in a way, yeah! Shit, Ichigo!" He watched confused as she paced several steps in front of him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest in obvious distress. However, before he could fully open his mouth to inquire as to just what was so damned disastrous he found her slim pointed finger hovering directly in his face. "_You_!"

"Uh, me?" he asked, still watching the tip of her finger until it found its way safely back to her jutting hip along with the rest of its mates.

The girl was on fire. "I just realized I'm in a big giant funk, whining over here like a little bitch just because I don't want you to leave! How pathetic is that?! See what you've done to me? Shit!" And with that she leaned back against his desk.

At first he could only blink. After a few moments he found his voice, "Um, are you mad… because you're gonna _miss_ me?!" Then a huge smile broke across the young Shinigami's face, "Aww Tats, come here…"

He opened his arms for her but Tatsuki shooed them with a swipe of her hand, "No, don't touch me! I don't want to cuddle with you! I want to drop kick your ass across the Rukongai for making me care about you like this! Asshole!"

Tickled. He was absolutely tickled at the site of his bad-ass girlfriend flustered _not_ over the fact that an entire society of ancient lawmakers probably wanted her dead, but rather over her own adorable embarrassment over her newfound clingy feelings toward him.

Despite the resulting death-glare, he chuckled. "It's a shame you can't appreciate the humor of this situation." He shimmied his chair closer but she retreated to the top of his desk, setting her bottom on his now-forgotten work.

"Yeah, yuck it up, chuckles. Meanwhile I'm falling apart over here! God, what's wrong with me?" she whined, dropping her head in her hands.

Ichigo simply couldn't control the laughter bubbling from an unreachable spot inside of him. "What? Nothing! There's nothing wrong with having someone you care enough about to miss when they're gone. Tell me how there's anything wrong with that!"

She refused to move her hands, instead parting her fingers only enough to stare through them like bars. Her words were muffled against her palms, "Jeez, of course you wouldn't understand!"

"Tats," he reached for her wrists but she stubbornly leaned back out of his grasp. Angry eyes glistened back at him from between her fingers. He reached again but she leaned even farther. Was she really that upset? Ichigo shot her a twisted frown, "Tats, come on…" In response she started lifting her foot as though she were going to cross her legs on his desk completely out of reach.

He knew it wasn't fair- he was faster than she'd ever be. In less time that it took to snap ones fingers Ichigo had yanked his chair forward, grabbed Tatsuki behind the knees and pulled with just the right amount of force. Before she knew it the girl was spilled provocatively in his lap, thighs straddling his hips as he caught her firmly around the middle.

She'd gripped his shoulders from sheer fright. When her world refocused she found herself chest-to-chest and nose-to-nose with her Shinigami boyfriend, his eyes dancing over a knowing smirk. "There, that's better…" he crooned.

"Really? That's your answer?" she quipped, leaning back just enough to keep their foreheads from bumping. But she was no longer frowning; instead she was fighting a losing battle with a tiny yet fierce little smile.

"Had to get your attention…" he shrugged. "…But my answer is yes, I do understand. Because this is where I want you-"

"-Smushed in your lap, stealing your oxygen?" She blurted, traces of unshed tears still shining in the corner of an eye despite her impish grin.

"Yes. Don't interrupt," he admonished, readjusting them in the chair. When she slid a few more centimeters forward she couldn't seem to blink fast enough or blush deeply enough. "Ever since this got serious, the more I'm with you the more I want to be with you, even like this. _Especially_ like this…" He laughed when she rolled her eyes- he suspected it was only to keep from blushing down to her toes. "…But I won't deny it's weird. I'm not used to wanting something… _someone_ as much as, um, this. It's… incredibly distracting," he admitted. The firm set of his jaw showed her he was far from kidding anymore.

"You too?" she whispered, her lower lip slipping between her teeth nervously.

"Yeah," he nodded. "So when I see my super-hot warrior girlfriend in similar straits it takes some of the pressure off. There's nothing wrong with you wanting to be with me. If you think I'm gonna let you stay mad over it then you're damn crazy."

He figured she'd have some cheeky response as soon as he'd finished but she just stared at him for several long moments after. He simply stared back, holding her gaze. After what felt like forever, she finally blinked and looked away, huffing audibly.

"Dude, you're really good with the well-timed speeches lately. I guess if you feel the same then it's not so horrible… Especially if you're gonna miss me more."

He smirked, feeling a certain triumph at her acquiescence, "Of course I'll miss you more. I'll be pining for you like a love-sick puppy. I miss you already."

She rolled her eyes again, "You can't miss me yet, idiot- I'm still sitting on you!"

Solemnly he nodded, "Yeah, I'm gonna reaffirm my earlier point of how… _distracting_ you can be…" He wasn't kidding- with her weight in his lap he was amazed he could still string two coherent sentences together.

Now it was her turn to smirk. "Oh, I'm sorry… Am I _distracting_ you from something?" she asked feigning innocence.

"Well, as a matter of fact…" and once again he took full advantage of his natural swiftness.

In a blink something had happened but it took Tatsuki a moment to process what it had been. She'd been lifted off of his lap for only a moment… by a firm hand on her butt! But as her eyes widened in shock Ichigo smugly held up a crumpled sheet of paper he'd retrieved from under her bottom, "…I can barely remember what I was doing before." With a wink he let the page drop discarded to the floor.

Tatsuki shook her head slowly, still deciding what her response should be, "You're a piece of work, Kurosaki."

He shrugged again, unapologetic, "Gotta keep up with you, gorgeous." Then he shot her an all too familiar look, "You know this is the part where you kiss me, right?"

"Oh? I'm supposed to reward you for dragging me into your lap and copping a feel?"

He whispered, "Maybe I'm just trying to make the most of our time before I have to go…"

She silenced him with a finger against his lips, "Shut up. No more of that. I'm gonna kiss you now as a clever distraction," and she watched him smile against her digit. "If that's alright with you?" she asked, and was rewarded with a slow head nod that raised her finger up and down against his mouth. Satisfied with his response she leaned forward and replaced her finger with her lips- softly at first before building to the crescendo.

Transformative… She made him feel like an entirely new person every time they came together. Even though it was only mouth against mouth, the bond of their mysterious connection made it feel as though she were kissing all of him, touching all of him, in a way so gentle and intimate that it rivaled any other emotion he'd ever felt. He wanted to give her everything- anything she could possibly desire. More than just his spirit energy. Her happiness, her freedom, her safety… His everything… He would do whatev-

"You think too much when we kiss. Should I be worried? Offended?" She raised an accusatory eyebrow at him.

He merely shook his head, "Not at all. Of all the girls I've been kissing, you're the most talented."

She threw her hands up, "Oh, he's got jokes! The nerve of this boy!" But all too soon she was settling level eyes on his, her smile slowly dissipating, "Seriously, what are we gonna do while you're gone?"

It took him a second to catch her meaning, "You mean for you? I won't be gone that long. You'll just go back to charging with the others like before."

She pouted, "But except for Uryu I haven't charged with them for at least three days now! What if it's different?"

Instantly he became oh so smug, "Are you alluding to my singular ability to completely satisfy your uniquely individual needs?"

Tatsuki smacked him in the head, "Pervert!" But then she side-glanced him, "…yes."

The jackal grin she got as her only response had her hitting him again. As Ichigo shielded himself he quipped, "You're just mad because I'm making you confront your mushy side."

Already bored with hitting him, she punctuated her words with a final slap, "You are my mushy side." She waited for him to finish laughing before she asked her next question, "So how long will this _trial_- I mean hearing- last tomorrow anyway?"

Ichigo shrugged, "Probably a few hours. Yoruichi and I will probably be gone most of the day. But don't worry- I'm sure we'll be home in time for dinner. With good news! So don't sweat it."

She silently frowned at him, as if as unconvinced of his words as he was. But instead of calling him out on it she merely shrugged, "Who's sweating?"

Then, before either of them could confront the fog of doubt collecting around them, he leaned forward and kissed her again.

* * *

_In the Shiba personal quarters, Kukaku's suite…_

Kukaku didn't bother to rise from her reclined spot when Yoruichi returned- she knew the woman didn't go for formality. That, and she was far too comfortable to get up.

The former Shinigami quietly crossed the room and sat back in the lounge chair she'd been occupying before being called away. Kukaku allowed her a sip from her sake cup before she asked, "What did the young Quincy want?"

"Ishida-san wished to confirm what I already suspected of Arisawa's unique abilities."

"She is requiring more reiatsu?" the Shiba matron guessed.

Yoruichi nodded, "She is. He suspects she is not aware that her demands have greatly increased. He said it was so significant that he could feel the difference in his own levels after she charged."

Kukaku raised an eyebrow, "You suspect it is because of Kurosaki?"

The darker woman tapped her chin in thought, "Not necessarily, though he could certainly play a role. His ability to tap into more spirit energy than most other Shinigami makes his involvement with the girl more suspicious. But the more troubling prospect would be if it was independent of him."

It took a moment for her meaning to sink in, "You're saying the girl's condition might naturally evolve into requiring more reiatsu independent of her source…"

Yoruichi nodded again, "Precisely, which would certainly make her more dangerous in the eyes of the Council."

The one armed woman frowned, "Your children do tend to keep things interesting, Shihouin-san. That poor girl…"

"She's a spunky little thing, thank goodness. But in the end she's just a human…" the purple-headed woman sighed.

Kukaku changed the subject somewhat, "Any other useful information from your Quincy?"

Yoruichi took another sip from her sake before answering, "Only that he was able to confirm the delay in energy transfer. Apparently there is a two to three second delay from the time Arisawa touches someone to the time she actually begins to absorb their reiatsu. I'm not yet certain of the significance or implications of this."

"It could be an advantage to her opponents…"

"Or a means for her to exert some control over her condition, even if only marginally."

"True…" Kukaku took a long sip of her own drink as she considered a thought, "Would you inform the Council of this?"

With a completely straight face the former Captain replied, "…Only if they dragged it out of me."

Kukaku smirked against her cup, "Indeed."

* * *

_The next morning. Seireitei- Sector 20, The Great Hall, 10:05am…_

"What the hell are they doing in there? It's been two hours and they still haven't let us in," Ichigo grumbled under his breath. They'd arrived promptly at the meeting hall of the Central 46 for Tatsuki's hearing, however to the boy's dismay the large doors had been closed and guarded. They'd been waiting in the hallway ever since.

Seated next to him on the hallway bench, Yoruichi inwardly sighed. Two hours might have been a record for her young student. "They're still in closed session, Ichigo. We may enter when that portion is complete," the woman stated coolly. She was sitting straight but seemed relaxed, as though settled in for the long haul. There were a few other Shinigami seated or milling about around them but Ichigo didn't recognize any of them.

"I understand that, but why did we have to be here at eight in the morning if we were just gonna sit around?" he whispered impatiently. He'd learned quickly that his normal voice carried deafeningly through the hallway.

She didn't even bother making eye contact. "The closed sessions are unpredictable. We need to be present when the selective session opens; we have no way of knowing where in the agenda Arisawa's argument will be."

Ichigo suddenly sat up to stare at his sensei, "What?! But… I thought this was _her_ hearing? You mean this is just a regular Council Meeting?!" He asked indignantly.

At that Yoruichi raised a smooth brow at him, "There is no such thing as a _regular_ Council Meeting. When the Central 46 convene it is to decide upon matters relating to all aspects of the governance of Soul Society- not merely to hear and pass judgment on the unfortunate circumstances regarding a single human girl. But we will be provided with adequate time and attention to present Arisawa's defense before a decision is made."

"But…" and at his protest she shot him a glare so full of warning it made him chose his words more carefully, "…I told her… we'd be back before she knew it. What if it takes longer?"

He barely caught her minute glance of their surroundings. However, that simple gesture made him briefly wonder if perhaps the walls had ears. "I'm certain it will take quite a while longer than you predicted. However I would think, of all people, she would understand our absence."

After a moment he silently folded his arms into his lap and settled more deeply into his seat.

* * *

_Seireitei- Sector 20, The Great Hall, 1:37pm…_

Ichigo and Yoruichi were now seated at the far end of the observation section within the hall. The closed session had ended shortly after twelve o'clock followed by a fifteen minute recess. The selective session was now into full swing; Ichigo was grateful they had pretty good seats, though he wished they were right in front.

He had anticipated formal proceedings, however was far from prepared for what was taking place in the selective session. Forty-six Council members were seated on multilevel elevated daises. All were dressed in traditional formal Japanese garb of layered kimonos and even hats; none wore the traditional black of the Shinigami, however all wore the white jackets similar to those donned by the Captains and Commander. In place of division numbers were symbols Ichigo assumed were district designations. Besides the members, all other participants were also formally dressed, wearing solid colored uniforms similar to those of a Shinigami, but again none of them black.

Despite his own Shinigami robes, Ichigo found Yoruichi and himself to be woefully underdressed. But he observed that they weren't the only ones- the majority of the audience members were similarly more casual. It seemed that despite the formality of the proceedings, no one minded the garb of the onlookers.

Besides the participants, the proceedings themselves had their own level of observed ceremony. An officiator led the agenda with crisp, enunciated delivery, introducing each new item to the floor and announcing the parties allowed to speak. The dialects spoken by the participants felt complex and ancient, sometimes so florid that Ichigo couldn't always catch what was said. In some instances the responses of the members were in dialects so thick and aged that they sounded foreign to his ear, until he wondered if they were still speaking Japanese. Some phrases even sounded distinctly Chinese though he couldn't have been sure. It all reminded him of the courtroom dramas he'd seen on late night tv, except infinitely more boring.

* * *

_The Great Hall, 4:43pm…_

Ichigo felt an elbow in his side and lifted his chin from off of his chest where it had drifted down. Thankfully he'd long ago perfected the art of sleeping with his eyes partway open (thank you European Studies class following lunch every day). Still, he knew that he probably seemed too comfortable if Yoruichi was prodding him in the ribs. Without appearing too obvious about it, he adjusted himself into what he hoped seemed a more alert position. The hard line at the edge of his sensei's mouth softened and he knew she approved.

A quick listen in on the floor's proceedings revealed the Council to be hearing testimony regarding a property dispute. The slow churning annoyance and anger that had somewhat dissipated during his nap now quickly reasserted itself.

In the lowest voice he could manage he inquired, "Any idea when we're up?"

With the slightest hint of a frown Yoruichi gave a single minute shake of the head.

Biting back the bitterness of his knee-jerk response he instead glanced around the audience in search of any familiar faces. "Will Hanataro be speaking? I don't see him."

Yoruichi looked down at the floor between them so that she could turn her face toward him. In a whisper he almost couldn't hear she replied, "I was told he would be allowed to present testimony, as would a few others." After an odd pause, she added, "…I do not know why he has not yet arrived."

About to inquire who the 'others' would be, he was instead halted by the sight of someone who had not been present before he'd fallen asleep. Vice-Captain Kurotsuchi was now sitting stone-faced in the section just to their left; she was staring directly at him.

He didn't bother masking the distain in his voice as he muttered, "Nemu's here."

Yoruichi nodded stiffly, knowingly.

He blinked, surprised, and then frowned as a sour taste watered the back of his mouth, "Is she here for Tatsuki's case?"

"I imagine so."

Involuntarily he folded his arms across his chest. "This sucks," he huffed more to himself than anyone else.

Yoruichi calmly resumed her low voice as she replied, "Thus far you have been exercising a level of patience as yet unparalleled in our encounters to date…"

Ichigo had an entire half-second to recognize and appreciate the compliment before she added, "…Please, continue to do so. Silently."

* * *

_The Great Hall, 7:58pm…_

"Wait, that's it? Did they just adjourn? But… but we haven't testified yet!" Ichigo whispered angrily to his sensei.

Yoruichi nodded resolutely, closing her eyes in frustration, "The selective session is breaking for the night; proceedings will resume in the morning."

"We've been at this all day? And they're still not finished?! What time is it anyway?" He didn't know why he finally asked; he'd been painfully aware all day of the fact that neither of them was wearing a watch. With no windows or clocks in the room, he'd lost all concept of time.

"It's 8 o'clock."

"At night?! No wonder I'm starving," he muttered, watching as the people were filing out of the great hall around them. As if on cue his stomach growled noisily.

Yoruichi cracked a smile despite herself, "Come. I will secure us quarters with the fourth division for tonight. I'm sure they would be willing to share their food as well."

Ichigo started heading for the large door, "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'm gonna head back to the inn for the night."

"Ichigo, wait." Her words halted him just at the door. He was about to make a joke about busting out of prison but the look on her face had him biting his tongue as he waited for her to catch up to him. When she took a deep breath before speaking, he knew it was yet more news he didn't want to hear, "Unfortunately, you cannot. Those who are set to testify must remain in Seireitei proper during the entire Council session. Any who leave may forfeit the right to appear before the Council."

It took running her words through his head several times before he could process their full meaning, "You mean if I go back to the inn tonight I might not be able to talk to the Council on Tatsuki's behalf?"

"Everyone in attendance must remain within the walls during the entire length of the proceedings. Those are the rules."

He was frowning a lot today, "So you keep reminding me. And its bull! They spent three hours determining the ownership of an old scroll today! This could go on for days! Did you know this was going to happen?"

She was scowling a lot today, clearly offended, "I had no way of knowing how many motions the Council would be set to hear for this session. Most of these sessions last no longer than a day. However…" She sighed guiltily before continuing, "…some have been known to last for several days at a time."

He paused for a few moments, playing several wildly ridiculous scenarios out in his head before finally accepting their current circumstances. "So we stay tonight."

"We stay tonight," his sensei echoed. "Come, we will go to the fourth."

Ichigo allowed her to lead, following closely behind with slumped shoulders; for some reason he felt as though he'd been in a battle all day. "Fine. At least I'll have a chance to ask Hanataro where the hell he's been. And food. There'd better be food," he demanded, his stomach once again giving an audible grumble.

The night was dark over their heads as they exited the Great Hall. Though the air around them was cool, the anger and frustration churning inside Ichigo had been slowly boiling all day. The waiting, the anticipation- it had all been so excruciating, but none as thoroughly torturing as his powerlessness. He was used to fighting his way out of his problems, but it was dawning on him that such an approach wouldn't work for this. How could he fix this? How could he be ready when the time was right?

In that instant, in the middle of the courtyard surrounding the Soul Society's oldest structure, the young substitute Shinigami resolved to confront his newest obstacle with all of the conviction he'd thus far poured into defeating his enemies. Full of quiet resolve, he continued silently in the path of his sensei.

* * *

_Sereitei, The Great Hall, The following day…_

It was a new day, a day in which Yoruichi had been utterly baffled since rising that morning. Uncertain of what could have prompted such a transformation, she could only marvel at the sudden change in her young pupil.

Today Ichigo was different. It was as if he had exited the doors of the Great Hall sullen and irritated- his usual immature teenaged self- and had reentered them with an unlimited amount of reserve, patience and attentiveness. Since the selective sessions had begun that morning he had not uttered a single word, instead concentrating all of his attention on every detail of the proceedings as they unfolded.

Watching him closely, she could see that he was absorbing every word spoken, every inflection uttered, every nuanced emotion expressed as each motion was heard. He took extreme interest in the outcomes, whether for or against, and seemed to be filing away in his brain all the factors affecting each. It was astounding, and she dared not utter a word for fear of breaking the bizarre spell.

She recalled that he was even unfazed when the young officer hosting them into the Fourth Division barracks last night seemed confused by Officer Yamada's absence. She'd assumed he was still at the Shiba Inn on special assignment from Capt. Unohana, unaware that he'd been relieved from those duties nearly four days prior. But she'd promised to consult Vice-Capt. Kotetsu the following day for his current whereabouts.

It was now well into the afternoon and the former Captain had hoped to hear from the Fourth Division before now- each passing minute surely was drawing young Arisawa's motion that much closer to being heard. She'd also hoped to gain more knowledge of Vice-Capt. Kurotsuchi's involvement in the girl's case- Yoruichi was convinced that the daughter of the Research Division's head had a definite ulterior motive. If previous experience were to be relied upon then that conniving man would stop at nothing…

The instant she noticed it, a chill ran through her veins.

"Ichigo... Ichigo!" It took several loud whispers of his name to break his concentration.

"What is it, Yoruichi?" He calmly whispered, "Tatsuki's motion hasn't been brought up yet."

"I know that," she hastily replied, "But we have a bigger problem. You need to return to the Inn right now."

So intense was his concentration on the proceedings that it took him several moments to fully focus on her. "What? That's ridiculous. If I leave the wall then I can't testify on Tatsuki's behalf. We both know I have to be here for that." However, the firm set of her features gave him pause, "…Why would you say that?"

She scanned the crowd around them once more to be certain before she explained, "Because none of the other witnesses I've arranged for Arisawa's motion are here. Not just Yamada-san, _none_ of them. And Kurostuchi is _not here_."

He scanned the audience to confirm her words, "You're right. Nemu's not here. She must have stepped out…"

She grabbed his upper arm firmly, "No Ichigo, listen. I've been keeping an eye on the Vice Captain ever since she came to the Inn to interview Arisawa. When I say she's not here, I mean I am unable to sense her _within the walls_."

She watched his eyes suddenly widen in understanding, "She's left Seireitei…"

"Ichigo, you must go to the Inn. _Now_."

Without another word, he pushed himself through the crowded aisles and out of the building.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Already starting the next chapter, because you aren't gonna believe what Nemu's been up to! But wait, wasn't Szayel up to something several chapters ago? Hmm… Please feel free to leave you reviews as well as scalding admonishments on my horrible absence- I deserve it! But then do include your thoughts on the chapter!

P.S.- I went back and fixed a few critical typos in Chapters 9 and 10 (maybe now the jokes will make sense *eyeroll*). Love you guys!

Thanks, Mira :)


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